Pristontale II: The Eye of Midranda
by Melocrie
Summary: Midranda has returned to Priston, with the Koltan Yiro as his rider. The people now have to make their ultimate decision: Stand and fight, or flee?
1. The Hour of Fate

Pristontale: The Eye of Midranda Chapter A - The Hour of Fate

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A white blanket covered the tops of the trees, same as the roofs of the houses, pretty much as always. Eura was one world apart from the others, one giant glassier, ever frozen.  
Daemon watched the snow falling from through the window, and sighed as he sank lower into his chair. That day was like all the others: white, cold and boring. Nothing really happened ever in Eura, except for the sudden travelling warriors, who had clear passage ever since Navisko had been freed. It had happened a few years ago, and still people were on about it all the time. Daemon could hardly care, though he had noticed a few other changes in his village, but those were so small he could barely count them along. His father, for instance, had been away more and longer than he used to. Everytime Daemon asked him why, he simply said: "Those are not the worries a child should have"  
Daemon shrugged. A child? He was already sixteen, and no one seemed to care.  
And mother had changed too, and even though it was only a little bit, it had been strange. She went back to her old hobbies: knitting and sewing. All day long would she sit behind her desk, making warmer clothing. Like it could even become colder.  
Even so, Daemon gazed outside in longing, for he was grounded again. How he wished to get up from his chair, walk out the door, and join his friends in a snowball fight.  
Daemon was not an easy child. He had been anxious, impulsive and arrogant for as long people could remember. His mother had tried so hard to raise him properly. Still it hadn't been for nothing. Father always said that if it wasn't for her, his son would be Demon instead of Daemon.  
What do they know? Daemon heaved a sigh again and glanced over his shoulder, where he could see his mother being busy again. She had bend over her works for a closer look and was muttering words to herself.  
"Where's father?" Daemon asked eventually, more out of boredom than curiosity.  
"He's out hunting, honey," said mother, without looking up. "He'll be back soon"  
Daemon had already expected such a short answer and turned to the window again, as he hated all the happiness and beauty outside, because tonight he couldn't be a part of it. He had to stay in his room all evening, cleaning the carpets or something. Sulking about his boring life, Daemon stood up from his chair and ascended the stairs to his room.

A dark place, a hallow place, silent like the grave. A prison made of cold stone, colder than his own heart. A scarred man sat on the floor, where he had been for the past few years, leaning against the back wall. He had no chains whatsoever, for those were not necessary. For those years ever since the turns of destiny, he had been sitting there, staring into nowhere. Starved, frozen, but still he had not the ability to die. His punishment was even worse than death, like it was meant to.  
His memories went back to that one fateful day, over and over again. He knew nothing more than anger and hate, which he had become in person. Yet he kept praying for an escape, to perform his revenge. They had stolen everything from him; his pride, his life, his people... and his precious beasts.  
The ground began to shake. It had done that before, many times. But this time it didn't stop, but it went on for several minutes. The man moved his head and looked up, which he had not done for a long time. A grin appeared on his face, as he suddenly began to feel warmer. He had a plan, it just came into his head. A great power was swirling up inside him, around him, above him. It felt like his own, yet different. He know that this power had been sleeping for ages, forever, but now it was returning. The grin grew into a smile, a laughter than broke the ancient silence.  
The ground shook again and was followed by a heavy tuck of some sort. A great cloud of dust and sand appeared over the hill top, and Cage raised his head, startled. He turned around and signed to the other guard, who signed back. Then he carefully began to walk up the hill, his sword at the ready, as the cloud began to clear.  
A sudden wind moved the sand beneath his feet and the air before him had cleared again, Cage could not believe his eyes. For there was nothing on the ground at his feet, nothing. Cage looked around from the corners of his eyes, trying to spot anything other unusual. But nothing else there was. The giant, ancient skeleton, which had lain in the sand of the Cursed Land since ever, had disappeared. Gaps were shown in the ground, but were quickly covered again by the sand, that moved back and forth on the wind. What had just happened? Cage knew something strange was at work and he tensed his muscles. The skeleton was gone, just gone!  
A sudden scream from behind made him turn, and Cage was horrified when he saw his fellow guard fall to the floor, his throat been cut open. As he fell, he revealed his killer behind him, who stood there with the stolen knife in his hand, an insane smile on his face.  
Cage could not believe what he was seeing. A terrible rage raised up in his chest, but he was unable to move. Shock had prevailed and he could do nothing else but stare, and wonder how his prisoner could have escaped.  
But before he could switch thoughts to actions, something from behind the dungeon exploded and a large figure shot into the sky, and a thundering roar was released. A black shadow it was and for a second it seemed to block all light in Cage's heart. The killer before him laughed out loud, as he was swallowed in a vivid light, that covered all of the Cursed Land. Cage had to hide his eyes from it and screamed out when the floor beneath his feet seemed to sink away. Then silence fell and the shaking slowly began to die away. Parts of the dungeon had collapsed and a mist of sand now hang all around. Cage coughed a few times, before running down the hill, to his friend. There was no life left in him. Cage clenched his fists, but his rage was suddenly turned into fear, a cold, freezing fear. They had been on their guards ever since that fateful day and yet destiny slipped through their fingers. He squeezed his eyes closed as he fought the tears, the shivers and the mere memory of past events. That man got what he deserved and yet he managed to get away from it. Cage wondered why and he wanted to scream out his questions to the world. He needed to tell someone, immediately. Then he understood. There was only one person who would know what to do.

Tyrank sighed one more time and swallowed, as he stared at the lovely door before him. Seeing it again made him feel warm, and happy too. He had not been here for so long and it felt strange, as if he had found something that had been lost to him.  
The door belonged to a home - his home. His wife would probably be inside, cooking as always. Tyrank hadn't seen her in years and he wondered if she had thought of him at all. But their memories together made him smile, and this he kept with him as he walked to open the door.  
"Honey, I'm home!" Tyrank slapped his hand to his forehead. 'Honey, I'm home?' Those were the first words he came with, but they sounded so much better in his head. He had no time to consider further action, for sudden footsteps suddenly banged down the stairs and woman appeared. She was wearing an apron, her hair was blonde and she had a perfect skin. Yet her eyes were tired, as if she had been watching the sky forever. She gazed at Tyrank for a long moment and wrinkles appeared on her forehead. Tyrank felt his own head turning red and he stared to the floor.  
"Tyrank..." The woman's voice was as clear as the sky itself and her eyes began to lit up. "Tyrank? Is it really you"  
Tyrank shrugged. "No it's my uncle!" he said sarcastically and the woman started to laugh out loud.  
"Oh Tyrank!" she gasped and ran into his arms, crying from joy. "I cannot believe it's you"  
Tyrank hugged her back and sobbed. "You really don't"  
"No of course I do!" said the woman and slapped her husband on the chest as she laughed. "When I read your letter I couldn't believe you were coming home. But now you are here and I believe, Tyrank. I do! Oh"  
She jumped into his arms again and Tyrank laughed as he hugged her. He felt happy, a strange feeling it was. Somehow it had grown unfamiliar to him. Yet he knew that this was indeed it and it felt good, really good.  
"I'm glad to home, Mora," he muttered into her ear. "You still look beautiful"  
Mora shrugged and punched her husband on the chest again. "You still haven't lost any weight, have you"  
Tyrank blushed. "Dear.. Could we not discuss that"  
Their house was located away from the great cities, deep in the Land of Dusk. Mora had herited the house from her grandmother, who had been Guardian all her life. Her purpose was to guide lost warriors to either Pillai in the north, or Ruinen in the south. Now this was Mora's job, though only rarely warriors showed up anymore. Those days, they all just warped from one city to an other and live of the Land of Dusk had become lonely. Especially after Tyrank had left for Navisko. He been stayed away from home ever since, thinking about his life and about the future. In his search he had been waiting for answers, for clues of whatever fate was waiting for them. But eventually he realised all his fears were just shadows in his mind. Now his was home again and peace would find him, in which he had enough space to finally clear his mind. Though one memory would linger forever, the memory of a little girl. Mora had heard of her too and she proud of her husband, proud that he had saved the world alongside her.  
"That's when I decided to go home," Tyrank told his wife that night at dinner. "I just thought I needed some time to recover, but now I know I can only do that here"  
"I'm just so glad you have returned," said Mora. "I was so worried, I didn't know what to you. When I received your letter, my heart leaped over! I was so happy.  
Tyrank smiled faintly and felt aching in his chest. There was another reason why he had not returned home earlier. For almost two years he had travelled around Priston, with the Lunan leader Roldin by his side. Together they had been searching for a way to lift a strange curse from them, a curse the Koltans have gave them. They were both poisoned inside, an unknown magic swirling past their bones. Tyrank couldn't remember how it felt to be strong anymore, for strength was drained from him everytime. There seemed to be no possibility to recover, no time to do it. No priestess that could heal them, no spell to lift the curse and no medicine, for it was no decease. But now he had a chance to be happy again. Shadows had been drawn from his mind and his vision on life cleared. He finally had the courage to return home and see his wife, whom he loved more than anyone else.

The sun was sinking and its light gave the Land of Dusk a most beautiful, golden glow. Some Egons were scurrying around in the shade of a rock, while two Sans stood beside the road as lampposts. Some Northgoblins were banging each other on the head and mutated rabies were licking their furs. A man hurried himself through the land, past the rocks, in the warmth of the burning sun. He barely had any breath left as he ran, but knew it wasn't the time and place to give up. His throat was soar, his mind clouded and his body ached all over. Ignoring the monsters around him, he managed to reach the door of the house, that lay hidden between the hills, beside a small lake. Raising his aching fist, he banged on the door with great effort.  
Mora jumped and threw down her napkin. "I say!" she said, rather upset. "Who in the world could it be, at this time of the day"  
"Honey, please, stay here," said Tyrank and stood up. "I will go see"  
"Alright," said Mora and shrugged. "But it had better not be one of those bounty hunters, searching the place for that Moriff! If it is, kick him out of here"  
Tyrank smiled. Typically his wife, he thought. But his mind was quickly turned when he opened the door, and had to catch a stumbling man from falling in. He was soaking wet from sweat, with deep scars in his face and around his neck. He was breathing heavily, his chest trembling when he exhaled. It was as if he had been running for days, and to see his friend like this, Tyrank felt sinking back into shadow.  
"Cage!" he cried out and lifted his friend in. "Cage, what happened to you"  
"I... I"  
But no more words came from his mouth and Cage fell unconscious. Mora gasped at the sight of it and hurried Tyrank up the stairs. There they lay Cage onto a spare bed and Mora began to treat his wounds. After a few moments, Tyrank took over and his wife disappeared downstairs for the dishes. His friend was almost paler than milk, his chest still trembling with every exhale. Tyrank wondered desperately what brought him here to the north, far away from the dungeon, and in this condition. Something terrible must have happened.  
"Tyrank"  
Tyrank shook himself awake and saw Cage opening his eyes.  
"Tyrank..." he said again and then moaned.  
"Hush," said Tyrank and draped his piece of cloth in the water, before tapping the wounds lightly. "You need to recover"  
"No..." Cage clenched his teeth to stop a painful stain and then heaved a sigh. "There's no time... Tyrank, he"  
Tyrank waited for a moment. "He - what"  
"He's back..." Tears suddenly sprang into Cage's eyes and Tyrank understood it was deadly serious. Those weren't tears of happiness or sadness, but of fear. "I don't know how..." moaned Cage. "He escaped"  
Tyrank stayed his hand and his sight dwelled into nowhere. It was as if his heart had completely been frozen and light faded. It couldn't be.  
"Yiro..." he whispered. "Cage... You go sleep now. And when you wake up, I want you to tell me every single thing."

His hands were aching, while Daemon sat bended over by the carpet in the upstairs hallway, as he tried to brush out the dust. He couldn't believe he was stuck with his stupid chores, while his friends were having fun in the snow outside. Father had returned from the hunt in the meantime, and was now finishing his late night dinner. Mother had turned all her attention to him and Daemon kept sulking over his dirty job. Suddenly a young and playful face peeked around the corner of a bedroom on the right.  
"Still not done, are you"  
Daemon growled and threw the brush at his sister, who quickly moved away. "What do you want, Farrah?" he said grumpily.  
His sister chuckled from her bedroom and threw back the brush. "I'm going into town with mother tonight, to see the fireworks. But looks like you will be stuck here for a while"  
Angrily, Daemon stood up and banged her door closed, while he stood there boiling in his shoes. The last thing he needed was his sister to get all annoying and spoiled. The reason he had been grounded was because he had pushed her down the stairs, for she had been teasing him like always. But there was nothing he could do to make her stop. Mother had become furious and said that Farrah was only so young, for she was seven years old. Daemon did not care: little or not, she had to learn how to act normal. Everytime they had only a little fight, she would go to her mommy, crying, and Daemon would get blamed for the whole thing. And tonight he was already grounded, so it was better to control himself. He hated his sister, he hated his life, and he hated the fact that his mother never believed a word he said.  
Deciding he was done with the carpet at his feet, he threw the brush hard against his sister's door and locked himself up in his own bedroom.  
"Humpf... Fireworks," Daemon sulked as he threw himself on his bed. He felt like he could cry, but of course he had to stop it. "Don't be a baby..." he said to himself. But it turned out that his sister had fooled him again, for mother came up the stairs, asking Daemon if he felt like coming along to watch the fireworks. He was all too happy he could go outside, so 'no' was not an answer.  
The main square of Eura was very slippery that night, but still people kept gathering all around at the square. Once again the people celebrated the founding of their city, a special day to many. Daemon, on the other hand, found it all too cliché. No one could even remember when precisely Eura had been founded and it was so long ago. Even so, the villagers enjoyed it every year, and also then people had done their very best to make it an ultimate festival. There were ice-sculptures, small portable playgrounds for the little children and many streetperformances. Daemon only enjoyed the firework, though even that became boring in a few years. Yet he was glad he was outside again and he kept scanning the crowd for any of his friends to be near.  
"Psst"  
Daemon jumped and spotted Mikey, one of his best friends, from the corner of his eyes.  
"Daemon, you ungrounded?" he whispered.  
Daemon glanced at his mother for a moment. "I think so," he hissed at his friend. "Why"  
"Pal, you wouldn't believe what we have just discovered!" Mikey sounded really exiting and it rushed through Daemon's chest, as curiosity overcame him.  
"What?" he said anxiously and grinned. "Where"  
Mikey motioned his finger... "Come on, we'll show you!" Daemon glanced over at his mother again and when he felt it was safe to leave, he followed his friend out of the crowd. It became quieter as they reached the edge of the village, but Mikey didn't stop there. He went further, beyond the snowy hills, to a place where the festival lights couldn't reach. It was one of the ruined temples around Eura, where all children used to play when they were younger. Daemon and his friends still hung out in them from time to time, but the adults didn't like it at all. They said that things happened in those temples they shouldn't be proud of, and that they were best forgotten. Yet Mikey led him further through the ruins of pillars and large stones, and only stopped when they reached a spot under an ancient roof, which seemed to be falling down any minute.  
Mikey started kicking away some rocks and old bricks, and Daemon quickly turned to help him. The rocks were insanely heavy, though together they managed. When they had removed the final pile of bricks, a stone stairway was revealed, which was going deep under the ground. "What's this?" asked Daemon, stunned. "Stairs"  
"Yep!" said Mikey proudly and rubbed the dirt of his hands. "Me and Dion found it this morning. Looks like no one has been here for years"  
Daemon considered the stair below him for a second and moaned. "No way we're going to tell the elders," he grinned. "Okay, Mikey, lead the way"  
Mikey clapped his hands together and descended down the stairway. Daemon followed closely and was startled by the overwhelming darkness below the earth. He quickly grabbed his friend's coat from behind, who was walking forth with his hands on the walls, and tried to make good steps in order not to fall. The stairway went deeper and deeper, and the stones cracked beneath their feet. A soft sound of dripping water came nearer and finally could Daemon see a light at the end, that grew larger with every step.

"Careful," said Mikey, when they reached the end of the tunnel. "You'll have to jump the last bit here"  
Daemon let go of his coat and watched his friend disappear below. He could hear him land to the floor with a grunt and decided to follow. He could see nothing but an orange light beneath him, no ground for him to land. He slowly slipped down the rocks and let himself fall, and noticed the ground was closer than he had thought. With a moan, he stood up and patted the dust off his clothes. After a second of breathing, he looked up and saw they had entered a large cave with high ceilings, filled with ruins of old buildings. As he was gaping at the surroundings, two of his other friends came running up to them, shouting.  
"Don't you like the echo?" said Dion loudly. He was a boy about Daemon's height, with longer brown hair, tight in a ponytail.  
"This place is gorgeous!" chuckled Gina, a girl smaller than they, but still of the same age. Her long, blonde locks of hair swirled around as she ran.  
"Well," said Mikey eventually. "What do you think"  
"Awesome," breathed Daemon and then grinned. "Imagine what we can find in here"  
"Exactly," said Dion, frowning. "But weren't you grounded, Daemon"  
Daemon shrugged and raised his shoulders. "My mom let me watch the fireworks, so I think that's over"  
"You'll never get out of trouble, do you?" said Gina, laughing. "Anyway, guess what we have found already"  
"Err.. I don't know," said Daemon exited. "Come on, tell me"  
"We'll show you," said Dion and entered the cave further. "What are you waiting for?" laughed Mikey and gave Daemon a little push in the back. "Let's go"  
They all quickly ran after Dion, who stopped near the ruins of a tower. The bricks all had the exact same color of the cave itself, so it was hard to tell which was ruin and which was wall. It was a strange sight, for the ruins of the tower seemed like a chameleon against the walls of the cave.  
Dion knelt down by the foot of the tower and removed a rock before him. He stretched out his hand into the ground, and when he withdrew it, he held a paper scroll. Daemon examined it a bit while Dion folded it open, and noticed it was a very old map. A map of Priston.  
"How did you get this?" he gasped and looked around his friends.  
"We found a chest with lots of old stuff," said Mikey proudly.  
"It was locked," explained Gina, "but it's so old that the lock almost fell off itself! We only had to hit it with a stone and BAM"  
"Stuff like old necklaces and wands," said Dion happily. "And then this map! There are pieces on it which aren't even on the new map. Look"  
All friends knelt down beside him and bend closer over the map. There were indeed places Daemon hadn't see before on the official one, but also places which weren't on it, like Ruinen Village.  
"We should have the newer map," he said after a while. "And compare these two"  
"I have one!" said Mikey immediately and started searching in his backpack. Eventually he withdrew an other scroll, folded it open and lay it beside the old one.  
"You carry around a map of Priston?" said Gina, who frowned and started laughing.  
"Hey, you never know!" laughed Mikey back. "All those warriors always talk about places far away and I just want to know where they all are"  
Daemon patted his friend on the shoulder. "Man, you've got way too much free time"  
The friends laughed for a while and then turned back to the two maps, starting to compare. They found more lost places, like a temple south of Navisko, in the Oasis. But also cities in the Land of Dusk, the Cursed Land and the Valley of Tranquillity, which all seemed to have other and older names. The map was so old that most writing had faded, and it was very hard to read the names. They were also written in a very curly handwriting, like a code that's hard to decipher. All places were also marked with crosses in the colors of red and blue. Daemon and his friends tried to figure out their meanings, but they didn't seem to make any sense. Navisko was colored red, for instance, along with the Cursed Land and the old castle south of the place where Ruinen should be. But the temple in the Oasis and Eura itself were marked blue. The friends scanned the map a few more times in silence and suddenly Daemon gasped.  
"Look at that!" he said and pointed at the map.  
His friends bended over more closely and they could see a green dot south in Priston, by a village that had become Ricarten. And it was moving. It was slowly turning east, then north and east again.  
Dion quickly stood up and stepped back, followed by Mikey and Gina.  
"What's that?" stammered the girl as she pointed at the map with a trembling finger. "It's moving! Why is it moving"  
"I... I don't know!" breathed Daemon. "Oh, look"  
The green dot had stopped when it reached Navisko, but then started to move north. For a moment nobody said a word, and Daemon could only hear the sound of their breathing and the dripping water above their heads. When the dot had stopped when it reached Eura, Dion stepped forward and knelt down again, examining the map. Slowly the green dot began to fade away, until it had disappeared entirely.  
"It's gone..." Dion muttered. "Whoa! This map is magical"  
"Hold on!" said Daemon. "It stopped in Eura... Why"  
"Don't know!" laughed Dion. "Does it matter? It's magical"  
"What a founding!" cheered Mikey.  
Gina laughed and joined them on the floor. "This might be the map of an ancient tribe"  
Daemon froze. An ancient tribe... The Midranda? He still froze at the mere thought of it, the name he kept hearing in his dreams, every night. He had seen swords and staffs high, in a red mist, with people screaming. He had heard a terrible roar, like raging fire, while he had seen castles being destroyed. That very name was the thing people had shouted in his dreams, that they had feared. And he feared it too. Every night still he woke up, sweaty and breathing, with horrible images in his head. The first couple of times it seemed like no big deal to him, but after a week or so, it just wasn't funny anymore. "Daemon"  
It was Gina, who stood up and grabbed his shoulder. "Are you alright"  
Dion and Mikey stood up too and looked at their friend, who stood nailed to the floor, staring into nowhere.  
"Daemon!" shouted Mikey and began to shake him. "Wake up, man"  
Daemon startled and stepped back, breathing heavily. "What's the matter?" said Dion worried.  
Daemon swallowed and shook his head. "Nothing..." he breathed and quickly recovered. "Sorry, I was just"  
"You look sick," muttered Gina. "Come on, we'd better go back"  
"Yes..." said Mikey slowly, still looking at Daemon. "Let's go, guys"  
Daemon nodded. He appreciated their understanding, something a grown-up would never give him. His mother had barely heard him out when he told her about the dream, and Farrah had only laughed at him. Therefore he was very thankful his friends didn't do neither, but they guided him up the stairs and to outside instead. 


	2. Yiro's First Strike

Pristontale: The Eye of Midranda Chapter B - Yiro's First Strike

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It was a most beautiful spring day and the flowers were all in bloom, as Dylane stared down at the colorful meadows far below him. Pillai had always given him a peaceful feeling and he had truly missed it over the years. The people were very nice and their lifestyle very interesting, and Dylane loved being with them. But that day he was feeling many things, and the peacefulness didn't seem to reach him at all. It had been five days since they had sent out Fylla, in search of Tyrank. Dylane really wanted him to be his best man, but there seemed to be no trace of him. He had become worried over the days and even the thought of the big day couldn't give him back his peace.  
"Dylane, my boy"  
Dylane turned and saw it was the Royal Mage Ray, walking up to him.  
"What is your mind saying"  
Dylane sighed and stared ahead of him, as he was leaning on the balcony at the edge of the village. "I am not sure," he answered after a while. "My mind is saying many things at the moment, but I cannot hear it properly anymore"  
"The thought of Tyrank clouds your minds," said Ray slowly. "You seem to fear for him"  
"Once again you know me better than I do," said Dylane, shrugging. "I just wish he was here. But now I also fear for Fylla"  
He couldn't afford anything to happen to that kestrel, for he felt it was his duty to protect her. Even though he couldn't exactly explain why, but it was like he made a promise to a little girl. Fylla had been made the official messenger of their old fellowship, but still she belonged to no one else but Melocrie. "That kestrel is a special bird," said Ray eventually. "Even so, she is only a rookie as a messenger. Give her a little time"  
Dylane nodded, for he knew the mage was right. His big day was approaching with every hour. Tomorrow he would stand at the altar, seeing that beautiful Kayleigh walking up to him. He would smile, no doubt about it. When he and Kayleigh had announced they were getting married, Urani had given him a whole brotherly speech. In the end, they had both laughed about it. Of course he would take good care of her, for Dylane loved Kayleigh more than anything in the world.  
Yet he stood at the balcony for hours, gazing over the lands before and underneath him. He truly feared for Tyrank, and felt that without the man by his side, he wouldn't want to get married at all. But if he would actually announce this, Urani would kill him for sure. Mage Ray had told him he had to follow his feelings, but which of the so many? The Mage patted him on the shoulder and left, leaving him alone again with his thoughts.  
The sun was already setting and Dylane had not moved. He did not feel like eating or sleeping at all. Now his mind wondered off to Kayleigh and it pained him. He didn't want to hurt her at all, not at all. He only prayed she would understand. Eventually he heaved a sigh and decided he should go and see her, but on that very same moment, someone shouted out his name. Dylane turned and saw it was Kayleigh, who came running to him, waving a small telescope in her hand.  
"Dylane, here!" She stopped next to him and breathed heavily, still waving the telescope through the air.  
"Honey, what is it?" Dylane asked worried, but Kayleigh sounded more happily exited.  
Kayleigh pushed the telescope in his hand. "Look to the sky!" she breathed, laughing. "Come on, do it"  
Dylane puzzled, but then did as he was told. His heart leaped in happiness when he saw a bird approaching them from the distance. "It's Fylla!" he said happily and raised his head. "She's back"  
Kayleigh couldn't stop laughing from joy, as she took Dylane by the hands and started to dance around. After a while, Fylla stroke down on the balcony and cried out exhausted. It was like she was breathing heavily. and she seemed to be weary. Kayleigh quickly took her in her arms, as Dylane removed the little note from her paw. He folded the paper open and glanced at Kayleigh once more, before he started reading.  
"So what is it?" asked Kayleigh exited. "A message from Tyrank at last"  
It was, but Dylane couldn't exactly be happy about it. His eyes grew wide and something stabbed his heart, his peace and happiness, and he felt he was being covered in shadow. The words written down overcame his mind like the beating of a drum and his hands started to tremble.  
"Dylane...?" Kayleigh was getting scared. "What's the matter, Dylane"  
"We..." stammered Dylane, as he stared at her. "We have to call off the wedding"  
"What?" Kayleigh almost dropped Fylla from her arms as she said it. "But... why"  
"Gather up your equipment," said Dylane and swallowed. "And warn the Royal Mage... Yiro has escaped."

The falling of night had released the Maple trees from their golden glow and instead, thousands of stars twinkled high in the sky. The dark water moved slowly in the wind, reflecting the silver glow of the moonlight. Tyrank was pacing up and down the dock behind his house, as Cage sat on the ground underneath a tree, telling his story.  
"It was horrible," he moaned and swallowed. "Yiro just vanished into nowhere... For a moment it went black before my eyes and when my sight returned, I could see things which I didn't want to see. Monsters, Tyrank. Monsters started pouring from the dungeon, each one stronger than the last. I have never seen anything like it"  
"Monsters?" Tyrank grunted while he thought deeply. "What kind"  
"I don't know..." said Cage as he tried to recall. "Most I haven't seen ever before"  
"I mean, what kind of eyes"  
"Oh..." Cage swallowed. "All purple"  
It was as he feared and Tyrank heaved a sigh as he watched the stars above. They were in so much trouble. "What's happening now?" he asked after a while.  
"We have hired warriors to destroy these monsters," said Cage. "A monster holocaust is now at hand"  
"So no prison anymore?" Tyrank shrugged. "Then we have nowhere to lock Yiro up. Too bad"  
"What are you talking about?" said Cage puzzled. "It's not that easy to kill him, you know. We had trouble with him last time, so imagine his power right now. And he's not alone"  
"Yes, you already said that." Tyrank rubbed his forehead as he sighed. "But what exactly is that thing then? You really didn't see what it looked like"  
Cage shook his head and moaned. "I'm sorry... To my eyes it was no more than a vague shadow"  
"And you also said there were rumors of active radicals?" said Tyrank as he remembered. "What are they up to"  
"Until now they have done nothing more than threatening, vandalising and stealing," said Cage. "But who knows what their true intentions are"  
"Priston is turned upside down," Tyrank muttered urgently. "We must call upon a meeting in Ricarten and consider the measures"  
"To take action?" Cage shrugged. "But we still know so little of the situation"  
"Well, we know enough," said Tyrank. "Whatever is going on, it's not to be taken lightly. We must act before things are getting even uglier"  
"Alright," nodded Cage. "I will go to Navisko to find Roldin, for that is where the Lunans are staying now. Maybe they can tell us more"  
"Good idea," Tyrank agreed. "But you're not going alone. At least let someone else come with you"  
"How about that Atlanta?" suggested Cage. "Debhora, right? I heard she was looking for a job to do"  
Tyrank laughed. "Yes, she indeed was. These past times have been to quite for an Atlanta. I'm sure she will be pleased."

The last beams of the sun had faded completely, and the moon now stood high to take over the night. Crickets played their songs in a choir, hidden in the tall grass covered with snow. Mother never felt like mowing the lawn anymore, and their backyard almost seemed like a forest. Those things had bothered Daemon quite a few times, but now his mind had made room for other worries. After their finding of the ancient map, Daemon was afraid to go to sleep, afraid of the dream he would surely have. Yet he felt tired and longed for a dreamless sleep, and he was angry with himself for being afraid. There seemed to be nothing at all scary about the night. The festival had been going on for two days, and finally the last sounds of their joy was drawn away. Daemon had found the cheering and feasting people very annoying, for their joy had not been able to reach him. And now it was over and every turned slowly to their beds again, probably with a good sleep in the night, to recover their energies. Daemon shrugged as he lay on his bed. What a waste of energy, those festivals. He would much rather be with his friends, away from the overjoyed crowd.  
Suddenly a loud banging sounded outside and Daemon sat op straight. Could they never just let people sleep, he thought. They always had to make noise. But when he could also hear a scream among the people at the dying festival, it made his change his thought. He quickly got out from bed and hurried over to the window. At first he couldn't see anything outside, for it was far too dark. But then another scream sounded and he blinded by a flashing white light, that seemed to wake up all of Eura. The screaming didn't stop, it only became worse, and when Daemon opened his eyes he could see other people dressed in black chasing the villagers. For a moment he only stood by the window, staring down onto the events, as all courage failed him. What going on? Moving torches lit he village as the black people started to take down the ice-sculptures, and a laughter sounded as all doors were opened and the villains stormed in.  
"Ah! Let go of me"  
Daemon was shocked away and hastily shook his head. He felt his heart pounding like mad when he saw a little girl outside, trying to release herself from a tight grip, as one of the dark men smirked at her.  
"Farrah"  
Without being able to stop himself, Daemon turned and rushed down the stairs, to the front door and kicked it open. He now stood in front of a strange battle and he desperately searched the crowd for his little sister. There she was, she was being taken away! Daemon ran after them as fast as he could, and picked up a fresh log from the ground as he went. When he got close enough to the dark man, he swung around the log and hit him hard on the back of the head. The man stumbled and fell, without moving again. Farrah looked up at her brother, but all breath seemed to have been taken, for she could bring out no words. Daemon grabbed her hand and started pulling her through the crowd, back to their house. There they went in and Daemon locked the door, pushing his sister up the stairs. He only stopped when they reached their attic, where he opened a large chest, blowing off the dust.  
"Get it!" he breathed.  
"What?" Farrah was scared and confused. "No way, I"  
"Farrah!" Daemon shouted. "Please, listen to me for once in your entire life! Get in there and hide"  
"But why? What do they want?" Farrah was on the edge of tears and trembling all over.  
Daemon swallowed, for a terrifying thought came to him... the map. They might have awoken it somehow... He shook his head again to stay focused and knelt down by his sister. "I did something bad again," he said, though it was hard. "I don't know if that's why they are here, but I'm not going to guess it! Please get in"  
"Oh..." Farrah clearly didn't know what to say to that. They had always picked on each other, they were only rarely nice. But it seemed that no matter what, there always sparkles a little love between a brother and sister. "Alright," she sighed. "But what are you going to do"  
"I'm going to search for mom," Daemon said and smiled. "It'll be alright, we have warriors here don't we?" "Right!" said Farrah and nodded, as she climbed into the chest.  
Daemon closed it without locking, for he didn't know if he would be back. The comfort he had given his sister could barely reach himself. Thoughts were flying through his head which he had never seen before, feelings he had never felt. All of a sudden he felt like a whole other person, something he couldn't explain. Was it because he and his sister had been nice to each other, for the first time in years? Deciding that was it, Daemon stormed down the stairs and outside again. Eura hadn't been in a battle for hundreds of years, for no army was crazy enough to fight battles in the everlasting winter. Yet now they were at it again, without a clear reason why. Daemon started wondering all those things as he searched the crowd for his parents, his friends, and an answer that would explain the reason why. As he ran through the swarm of people, he was horrified by the screams and panic, that reminded him too much of his dream. His thoughts were out of his control, as he did not see a log coming closer to him, the same one he had used himself earlier. A terrible laughter and a sound of a roar were the only things he heard, before he the log hit him hard on the head and everything went black.

The news of Yiro's escape had turned the two greatest nations upside down and another gathering was at hand in Ricarten. Cage had asked Debhora to accompany him to Navisko, and she was more than glad to come. They had taken the Warpgate to the city of dusk, to speak with Roldin and the Lunans. The old fellowship had also been called to Ricarten, along with Leroy, Melocrie's father. Tyrank hugged Dylane tight as they met again and shook Urani's hand firmly. He praised Kayleigh for her presence and bowed to the others he knew, in honor and respect. A horn sounded through the city, as the crowd fell silent and all heads turned to the platform in the middle, where the Elder stood next to Melocrie's statue, with his arms raised high. There was no time to exchange stories of adventures.  
"Brothers and sisters of Priston, we are gathered here today, for another conflict is upon us"  
All eyes were fixed upon the Elder, but Dylane kept glancing around at his friends. He didn't feel comfortable at all and managed to catch Tyrank's eye, who seemed to feel the same way.  
"The radical Koltan leader, Yiro, has escaped from the Ancient Dungeon, and it now seems that monstrous spawn has taken over that region"  
Immediately the people around began to shift on their places and muttered against each other. Nonetheless, the Elder called for silence and continued.  
"It also seems that one of the skeletons in the cursed land have disappeared without a trace, and its master has joined Yiro's side. We must find him soon and clear out the situation. The old party," he waved his arms around at Tyrank and his friends, "have already volunteered for the job. Is anyone else willing to accompany them"  
"I will," said Leroy instantly and stepped forward. "Anything for my daughter's friends"  
Tyrank nodded thankfully at him and Leroy nodded back, stepping onto the platform.  
"Anyone else?" called the Elder.  
The process of selecting warriors took quite a while and it went very slowly. Eventually, Tyrank and his friends were invited into the Skillmaster's cabin, where they would stay the night. About a hundred good warriors had volunteered and all were given different mission. They were to be scattered all over Priston, in order to protect all regions from danger. The old fellowship, along with Leroy, would go to Pillai the next morning, to speak with Royal Mage Ray and discuss their plans further. In the meantime, Debhora and Cage had reached Navisko to look up Roldin and Fylla had been sent to Ruinen to pick up the news.  
"I wonder where he is right now," said Dylane, as they all stood on the balcony, enjoying the fresh air of the afternoon.  
"Yiro?" asked Urani as he chewed on some bread. "Me too"  
"What is he up too?" muttered Leroy. "I can't stand this. Something terrible is happening, but we don't know what. And it's not likely we'll find out so easily"  
"We'll just have to be patient," said Tyrank. "He cannot hide forever. One of the parties should notice anything of him eventually"  
"Of course, but..." stammered Kayleigh, as she took a sip from her whine. "He scares me"  
Dylane slew his arm around her and kissed her cheek. "He scares us all, dear"  
For a moment silence fell and everyone held his thoughts for his own, as minor clouds moved through the sky on the wind. Kayleigh watched the people walking below on the streets and listened to the everlasting hammering of the blacksmith. Tyrank moved his left shoulder a bit to stop the aching in his back and Urani frowned when he noticed it. After a while, Leroy heaved a deep sigh and suddenly the silence was broken. Kayleigh had no time to swallow her sip as the loud noise of breaking stone sounded through the city, and people below turned around to see what was happening. A scream sounded from the square and Tyrank immediately ran to the edge of the balcony and bended over, to see what was going on.  
Soon the street below them was swarming with running people, who were going into all directions. Kayleigh dropped her glass of whine when a deep roar sounded and the balcony seemed to shake. For a second the warriors looked at each other, but then instantly started to run down the stairs, through the streets, toward the Ricarten square.  
"What's happening?" Leroy shouted at the people around. "Tell me"  
"Monsters!" yelled a man back and then ran away.  
"Monsters?" gasped Kayleigh. "In Ricarten"  
"Be strong," said Tyrank and drew his weapon, the others following. "We need you"  
Kayleigh nodded and took out her wand. "Right!" Madness took over Ricarten, as more, different kinds of roars and screams sounded through, along with a terrifying, all too known laughter. Tyrank clenched his teeth at the mere thought of that man, for what he had done and for what he in fact was. He thought of Cage, who had seen his friend being killed by this monster. Also Roldin, who had suffered greatly under his reign. Yiro had gotten what he deserved and yet he had escaped from it, for a unknown reason. Tyrank grabbed hold of his axe even tighter and quickened his pace, which made it hard for his friends to hold up.  
"Tryank!" breathed Dylane. "Wait for us"  
There was no need to say anything more, for Tyrank suddenly stopped dead in his tracks and stared with open mouth at the sky. They were two winged creatures, floating in their might above the city. Angels they seemed, yet more terrifying than beautiful. One seemed cold, covered in blue and white, though the other was entirely black. They both had javelins at their front, while they gazed down onto the panicking people. A familiar face in the crowd brought Tyrank back to his senses and he started off again, with his axe at the ready. Yiro could see him approaching and smirked at him, while he stood beside Melocrie's statue with his arms folded. Tyrank screamed out and hit him with all his might, but was hit back himself by a magical force. He was thrown hard to the floor and his axe had flew from his hand to the ground some meters away. Dylane, Leroy, Kayleigh and Urani stopped by him and helped him, but were shocked when they saw who was standing in front of them.  
"You..." Dylane growled through clenched teeth. He could still feel the moment on which he had been stabbed in the back. "You have no right to be here"  
"Wrong!" shouted Yiro and raised his arms to the angels above him. "I have all the rights and I will use them"  
The angels in the sky lowered their heads and suddenly began to move, floating around in descending circles. "How did you escape?" yelled Urani, but couldn't keep his eyes from the winged beings.  
"My master has came to me," said Yiro and lowered his arms, the angels followed his movements. "And he has granted me power"  
"Look out!" Kayleigh screamed suddenly and pushed her brother aside, as the dark angel shot a beam at him. The lightning struck the ground instead and a small explosion followed, leaving a vague cloud of dust. Yiro laughed out loud and jumped onto the back of the white angel.  
"I will take what's rightfully mine," he shouted down to them. "And you cannot stop me"  
"What are you going to do?" Leroy demanded to know.  
"The one thing that will hurt you the most," Yiro answered and made his angel turn. "Consider this a warning"  
The two angels raised their javelins and strange energies were freed, coiling themselves around Melocrie's statue.  
"No!" shouted Tyrank and Leroy together, as they ran up the platform.  
But Yiro stretched out his hand and stopped them with an invisible barrier, knocking them a few meters back. Kayleigh and Urani could only stand and watch, while the angels' magic lifted the statue into the air, away from the platform.  
"Melocrie!" Dylane yelled and raised his sword. "Let her go!" He began to run, bringing force into his sword and hit the barrier with all his power. For a moment he stopped still in the air, his blade forward, and then a breaking sound followed, and thousands of tiny lights were scattered. Dylane had broken the barrier as he ran through, jumping in the air in an attempt to catch the statue.  
"You're too late!" laughed Yiro, as Melocrie was lifted even further into the sky. "Be patient, my victims. You will all die soon enough"  
"Get back here!" yelled Leroy in anger and banged his fists on the floor, but it was no use.  
It only took a few seconds and Yiro was out of sight again, leaving Ricarten empty and scarred. Leroy couldn't take it anymore and screamed out, before standing up and running away.  
"Leroy!" Urani called after him.  
But Melocrie's father had disappeared in the crowd, that now had come to a complete halt. Dylane sighed and looked sideways at Tyrank, while all people's eyes were fixed on them. Tyrank couldn't believe it either, he just kept gaping at the sky above him. Kayleigh was trembling all over and pressed her face against Dylane's chest, who embraced her with a sob.  
"She's gone..." Urani muttered eventually. "Yiro's taken her"  
"After him!" said Tyrank and turned. "We must know where he is going"  
"It's too late," said Urani, on the edge of tears. "Don't you see? Yiro's probably miles away now"  
"You're just going to give up then?" said Tyrank angrily. "Just like that"  
"Don't lay the fault on me!" shouted Urani. "Do you think I wanted this to happen"  
"Stop it!" cried Kayleigh and slapped her brother on the back. "How dare you"  
Tyrank, Urani and even Dylane stared at her, while the priestess stood there with clenched fists, screaming at them.  
"You two are fighting over nothing here! Melocrie's gone, alright? Gone! And above that, Leroy might be after her! We must stop him, he's going to get himself killed"  
"She's right, you know," Dylane said and wiped his eyes. "Come on, you guys"  
"Fine," said Urani.  
"Fine," agreed Tyrank.  
Kayleigh heaved a sigh and turned to look once more at the sky, before following her friends toward the Garden of Freedom.  
Leroy was standing on the top of a hill, staring into the distance. When Tyrank and the others came near, he turned around and looked at them. Kayleigh was shocked by all the emotions showed in his face. Above all there was sadness, and she understood why. First his daughter had left on a most dangerous quest, then she was trapped into stone and finally she had gone, taken by Yiro. And next to that, confronting his wife about it wouldn't be easy either. Kayleigh understood his pain and nodded, and Leroy seemed to appreciate it. He turned back to the vast land before him and heaved a sigh.  
"We'll get her back," said Urani after a while and lay a hand on his shoulder. "Whatever it takes, where ever we must go"  
"I'm sorry, Leroy," continued Tyrank. "We are with you"  
"I know," muttered Leroy and cast down his eyes. "I just never thought things could get worse." He clenched his fists and teeth as he began to tremble. "Curse that Yiro... He will die, even if that means I will have to make him myself"  
"Calm yourself first," said Dylane urgently, although his voice was broken. "We will see the Royal Mage tomorrow, he'll know what to do"  
Leroy looked up again and nodded. "I'm sure of that," he said determined. "But still... no matter what it takes - Yiro will pay for this." 


	3. The Shadow Approaches

Pristontale: The Eye of Midranda Chapter C - The Shadow Approaches

----------------------------------------

Silence surrounded him and he grabbed the painful dumb on his head, as Daemon slowly began to wake up. He rubbed his head, but it only hurt even more, so he clenched his teeth and fists to counter a sting of pain. Finally he opened his eyes again, but his sight was blurry and there was only darkness to see. Some meters away shone a weak light and when Daemon's sight slowly returned, he noticed he was sitting in a small room, made of cold, stone material. Some high in the wall, against the ceiling, was small window blocked with bars, allowing a single beam of light coming through. The walls were further covered with great iron pegs and bloodstains that gave Daemon the shivers. He noticed a large, heavy door on the other side, that took up the height of the wall. Next to that he was cold and started rubbing his arms, while he tried to recall what happened. But the enormous dumb on his head made him remember and thought of Farrah made him tighten his muscles. Only then he started wondering where he was, who those men were, but most of all, how to get out.  
On that very same moment a banging sounded just outside and the great door began to move upon, with a cracking sound that echoed through the his small prison. Daemon froze and remained where he was, trying to control his breath and fear, as the door had opened and a huge man with broad shoulders stepped in. He was carrying a tray with a bread on top and a glass of water. Deamon watched him as he lay down his items on the floor without saying a word, without looking up at him, and how he left again, banging and locking the door behind him. Daemon took a moment to recover from his shock and then stared at his food and drink on the floor. Deciding he would never touch those, he pulled a disgusted face and heaved a sigh.  
"You're not going to eat that"  
Daemon immediately turned around in shock, raising his fists up to his chest, his heart pounding like crazy. The last words of the voice died away in the echo, as a tall figure moved through the shadow, in the corner of the cold prison. Daemon stepped back as it came closer, into the light which revealed a tall man with long, blue hair. Daemon gasped and lowered his fists, for he knew the man was a mage, though his eyes were weary and his clothing poor. When he came even closer, Daemon stepped back and raised his fists again.  
"Don't be afraid," said the mage and in spite of his looks, his voice still sounded clear. "I'm not here to hurt you"  
"Oh..." said Daemon, but still remained his position, as he did not trust someone who had just appeared from nowhere. "Who are you?" he demanded to know.  
"My name is Lenaen," said he and smiled weakly. "And you are"  
Daemon considered for a moment whether he should tell his name or not, but after a while he decided he should. After all, they seemed to be both prisoners. "Daemon," he said shortly.  
"You can relax," shrugged Lenaen and heaved a sigh, as he sat back down on the ground. "What are you in for"  
Daemon lowered his fists and tried to feel more at ease. "I'm not sure," he stammered, but managed to restrain his voice. "We were having a festival at home, but suddenly these men came and started destroying everything! I managed to hide my little sister in the attic, but when I went looking for my parents... I was knocked out"  
"I see," muttered Lenaen and frowned. "Horrible monsters"  
"And what about you?" asked Daemon, as he sighed and sat down beside the mage, without looking at him.  
Lenaen shrugged. "I was captured for protecting my people"  
"What?" Daemon now looked at the mage. "Who are your people"  
"Hellphoenix," said Lenaen and his voice turned dreamy, in a proud way. "My family and friends, they are. We were ambushed on our way to the Oasis, our main base. Me and Beam fought with their leader, Hamja, but when I hurt him I was taken"  
"And your people didn't try to save you?" Daemon frowned.  
"Of course they did!" laughed Lenaen and shook his head. "But these monsters can vanish and rematerialise anywhere they wish. And that is how they brought me here"  
Daemon swallowed and looked around their prison, at the shadows and the small beam of light. Being captured for saving your own people sounded terrible, but then he realised he had saved his sister too. Was that the reason he was caught? He looked back at Lenaen, whom he began to admire. The mage was broken, but only on the outside. Somehow a light seemed to shine in the darkness, just like in this prison itself. Daemon thought deeply for a moment and again thoughts came up which he never had before. Hope would be their light, but these men were their darkness.  
"Who are they?" asked Daemon darkly, as a shiver ran over his spine.  
Lenaen's smile died away and his expression turned dark as well, as Daemon noticed his own muscles were tensing. "They call themselves the Disciples," the mage said quietly. "They believe the land belongs to them"  
"But why?" Daemon wanted to slap his own face for asking so many questions.  
Lenaen took a moment and then raised his shoulders. "Priston is getting worse and worse, so people nowadays try to grab the power." He sighed. "For those with power survive. But don't worry, once we get out of here we will show them. Beam's probably on his way now"  
"You mentioned that name before," said Daemon. "Who is he"  
"My best friend," said Lenaen and that pride in his voice returned. "The leader of our people. He will come and save us, I'm sure of it"  
"Us?" shrugged Daemon in surprise. "Me too"  
"Of course!" Lenaen laughed again. "We are both prisoners here, both enemies of these Disciples. And that makes us allies, doesn't it"  
"I guess." A broad smile appeared on Daemon's face, but then faded again. He began to feel homesick and became more worried about Farrah and his parents. Of course, the first step to take would be escaping from their dungeon, and if this Beam could make that happen, Daemon would surely let him.

Mage Ray watched the sky expressionless, while his hood covered his face by half. Tyrank stood thinking with his arms folded, as everyone waited for his reply. They had discussed the past events, which had happened all to shortly after the other. Yiro's escape, the disappearance of the skeleton and Melocrie's capture all remained individual problems and mysteries. They had asked themselves too many times how Yiro possibly could have escaped and why he needed Melocrie's statue. Eventually Tyrank heaved a sigh and lowered his arms, watching his friends one by one.  
"I don't know," he said and shook his head. "I truly, honestly, have no idea"  
This seemed to be a huge disappointment, as even Ray looked sideways at them. Urani and Dylane glanced nervously at each other and Kayleigh sighed with a trembling tone. "There must be some reason, Tyrank," said Leroy, as he thought deeply himself. "What about that skeleton? You don't think that has any link to Yiro's escape"  
"It seems obvious," said Tyrank, frowning. "But we can't jump to conclusions without hard evidence. That would be too risky"  
"Isn't there a party patrolling the Cursed Land?" wondered Dylane. "Maybe they could investigate the region around the Ancient Dungeon"  
"They could," said Urani. "Maybe they already are"  
"If that is so, we will hear it from Fylla," sighed Leroy. "Who should be back any moment now, anyway"  
"How long has she been given to seek out the news?" Kayleigh asked Tyrank.  
"Four days," said Tyrank and rubbed his chin. "Which give her one more. She should return by noon tomorrow"  
"I guess we will have to wait until then," said Dylane, slightly irritated, and sat down on the bench they were standing next to. "Hope we won't snap"  
The enviroment of Pillai was beautiful, as always, but again its peace couldn't reach him. Dylane's thoughts wandered off to Melocrie and he could feel nothing but guilt; the fault of letting her slip through his fingers. "Wait a second," said Urani suddenly. "What about Cage and Debhora? They should have some information when they return"  
"That's true," agreed Leroy. "At least we can make our first steps then"  
"We don't know if we can," said Tyrank more clearly. "Do not place all of your hopes into everything we will hear. All has been a mystery up until now and it will remain so." He sighed and sat down next to Dylane, looking up at his friends with a deep rinkle in his forehead. "Yiro's not the only one we must worry about"  
"Oh, right," Kayleigh remembered and tried not to shiver. "Those radicals in the east. You really think they are that serious"  
"I don't know," said Tyrank again, a little pushy, and raised his shoulders.  
Kayleigh understood that no more questions could be asked and decided to remain silence. Urani, however, was not giving up.  
"There must be something we can do now," he said to Tyrank. "Anything at all"  
"There is," said Ray suddenly and all faced turned to him. The old mage had a habit of breaking a tension or silence in his own sudden way, and somehow always managed to get full attention. "There still are ruins of old peoples that need to be investigated. Never know what to find there"  
"How come you've never mentioned this before?" wondered Tyrank, as he stood up.  
"There never was need," said Ray simply and smiled. "Only need drives the good deed. Go to the Forest of Spirits and find the temple which has sank half into the ground. You may find some information there. Meanwhile, I will embrace any other words reaching my ear and keep them safe for you"  
Tyrank considered this for a moment and looked up at the others, who were thinking about it as well. After a while, Dylane sighed and stood up, picking out his words carefully.  
"I would very much like you to send Fylla to us when she arrives," he said eventually. "Is that possible"  
Ray nodded and smiled again. "Of course it is," he said. "I will have to copy her message, though, in case she might lose it. Also to pass on the information to the elders in Ricarten"  
"Of course," nodded Dylane and looked at his friends for a second. When he turned back to the mage, he reached out his hand and Ray shook it tightly.  
"We will go," said Urani, nodding at Leroy and Kayleigh. "We still have room for some more mysteries."

A thick mist hang low above the land covered in soil and the deadly wastes of the desert lay stretching out before them. Behind them stood the a dark kind of temple, which a giant axe in the ground, separated from its master. No one knew to whom it belonged or how long it had been there, and over the years people had stopped wondering, On top of the hill at the end of the path stood a small group of men, dressed in black robes and dark blue war stripes running over their faces. One of them seemed to be in charge, as his robes were decorated with golden edges and stitches. He gazed out over the sand, lifted up into the sky by the wind, as the sun began to sink lower into the sky. After a while he turned to his men and gave his sigh for action.  
Immediately, the men began to march forward, past their leader and vanished slowly into the mist. The leading Disciple remained where he was and stared after them. Only when their images had faded, he turned to the east and whistled on his fingers. After only a few seconds an other man appeared from the mist and joined his leader's side, pulling the black mask off his face.  
"Sir?" he said in a low voice, scanning the area from the corner of his eyes.  
"Have your men found anything, Hamja?" the leader asked straight.  
"Only little, sir," answered Hamja and glanced over his shoulder. "Those filths aren't far away. They have come for the mage and have not planned to leave without him"  
The leading Disciple shrugged. "We will see about that. Hold them off as long as you can"  
"Sir"  
"Obey me," said the leader threatening. "We are too outnumbered here and now, they could overcome us. Just lay low for now"  
Hamja bowed humbly. "Yes, my Lord," he said and disappeared again through the mist in the east.  
The Disciple on top of the hill gazed toward the wasteland in front of him one more time, before turning back, passing the axe in the ground and disappeared in the darkness of the temple.

Navisko had been rather peaceful ever since it had been rid of the Koltan's reign and travellers now had free passage through the desert once more. As soon as Cage and Debhora arrived through the Warpgate they were friendly greeted and they were surprised by the sight. There was music going on and people were laughing, something you didn't see everyday in the middle of the desert. People from different clans and guilds sat around drinking and talking to each other, while women danced around with their husbands, singing songs to their children. Debhora laughed when she saw it and was happy to see children living their days. "Navisko sure has changed," said Cage, while they walked through the crowd in search of the Lunans. "I can barely recognise it"  
"I know," laughed Debhora as she looked around. "Oh look, there's Fron and Keira"  
Cage and Debhora waved at them as they passed by, for they had not forgotten what Fron and Keira had done for them. Footsteps came closer to them through the crowd, speeding its pace. Debhora turned in shock when Cage suddenly screamed out, but then her fear turned into laughter. It was Roldin, who had embraced Cage from behind all too sudden. The men laughed at each other and Cage hugged his friend tightly, knocking him on the arm.  
"You old dog!" laughed Roldin and knocked him back. "How are you doing"  
Cage took a moment, but then laughed back. "I'm alright," he shrugged. "Look at you! When's the last time I've seen you so energetic"  
"Tell me about it," said Debhora and tried to hold back too much of her laughter. "You're nearly bouncing on the spot here"  
"Of course I am!" said Roldin and waved his arms to the city. "I mean, look at this place! It's been so long since I have seen my people laugh. We finally have found our peace, the peace which they have deserved"  
"Err.." Cage looked sideways at Debhora, whose smile had faded too. "Roldin..." he said, but the Lunan's joy made it so much harder to tell the bad news. "Don't place your hopes too much on this peace"  
"What?" Roldin turned to them and his smile faded as well. "Don't tell me something has happened. Is that why you are here"  
"I'm sorry, friend," said Cage and rubbed his arm. Debhora had looked away and didn't know what to say, even when Roldin examined them both.  
"Alright..." he said eventually and glanced around to be sure they were not overheard. "Then tell me what has happened"  
The news of Yiro and his escape seemed more than Roldin could take on his cheerful day and suddenly Navisko seemed to have returned to its gloomy shape. The Lunans' laughter only pained Roldin, as he sat on the stairway to the Bellatra, staring down on them. Cage and Debhora stood beside him, gazing down at the feasting city below.  
"Let them have their happiness..." said Roldin quietly after a while. "As long as they can"  
"Should I not have told you?" asked Cage carefully, but dared not to look at the Lunan.  
Roldin shook his head slowly. "No..." he said and sighed. "Of course you should have told me. But I..." But then he stopped and shrugged, deciding to use other words. "It's hard to believe and yet it's true, and that's what pains me the most"  
"This is not the last bad news we will hear," warned Debhora. "Mark my words: Yiro's up to no good and he plans to scare us"  
"Yiro doesn't scare me," said Roldin with a grunt and took a large gulp from the mug he was holding. "Neither does death"  
"What?" Cage looked down on him. "What do you mean by that"  
Again Roldin shook his head and stood up. "Nothing, my friend," he said and gazed thoughtfully at his people. "I would hate to bring them down again and to drag them along in the returning shadow"  
"They have a choice," said Debhora comforting. "And so do you"  
"No," said Roldin and heaved another sigh. "I don't have a choice. Priston is ours and when the battle comes, I tend to fight in it. I will die before I see our lands slipping into darkness"  
"But what should we do?" said Debhora gloomily and tried not to sob.  
"The only thing we can do," said Roldin and smashed his mug to the floor, after taking the last gulp. "Fight for what is ours"  
"Roldin," said Cage suddenly, when he remembered something. "What do you know of the radicals, east of this city"  
"They haven't crossed through, as far as I know," answered the Lunan. "And for all I care, they may stay there. They're just youth trying to upset the people"  
"Are you sure we should underestimate them?" frowned Debhora. "You really want to make the same mistake again"  
But those seemed to be the wrong words to say. Roldin had turned angrily and pointed at the Atlanta with a tight finger. "I have never underestimated the Koltans!" he said through clenched teeth. "Do not dare thinking I am just some boy who would sit by the sideline, watching his people being murdered. I did what I could for them, so do not dare thinking me weak"  
Debhora was more insulted than startled and pushed Roldin's finger away. "Do not point at me with a lack of respect, Lunan," she said calmly, though fiercely. "I would never think you weak and you know it. You were not the only one to have suffered under his terror, you know"  
"I know," answered Roldin and it was the last he said. He turned away from his friends and descended down the stairs, without looking back.  
Debhora watched him disappear into the crowd, while her heart pounded, but tried to feel no regret of her words.  
"He's hurt," said Cage carefully after a long while of silence. "You sure it wasn't too harsh"  
"He's been through a lot," Debhora said quietly, but still stared down at the people below. "I am aware of that. But he must understand this - If he does not rid himself from the fear of Yiro, darkness will overcome him. It will swallow his entire people and eventually the world. I know what the Koltans have done to him and that there is no escape from it. But the same curse has been cast over one of our own friends and he should not be so selfish to think he is the only scarred one"  
"What?" said Cage and frowned. "What are you talking about"  
But Debhora did not answer and just stood staring at the sky, before descending the stairs as well. Cage looked after her and suddenly a strange fear swelled up inside. He wondered what her words had meant, but yet he had no desire of finding out. Suddenly the joy of Navisko didn't mean anything anymore and Roldin watched his people while something sharp seemed to stab his heart. He would drag them down into shadow once more, for he knew his people were with him, no matter where he would go. Then should he tell them at all? The Lunans would do anything to free Priston from any terror and this did make Roldin feel rather proud. He feared for them though - he feared for the entire world. Yet he made himself ready to join Cage and Debhora for a trip through the Warpgate, to see his other friends in Pillai. Once they would get there, there was no knowing of what else could happen. And the sight of a familiar kestrel flying overhead didn't exactly comfort him, for there was no knowing what kind of news she would bring. What hope there was would surely slip away from his hands, while his spine still hurt and his head ached. A curse going deep is hard to dig up and maybe the only way to stop it, would be to go down with it. Roldin didn't know what more events would lie on their path, but one thing was for sure - if he was going down, he would take Yiro with him. Then dusk approached as the feasting had ended and it was time to leave the city as soon as possible.

A red sunset appeared over the lands, as the flapping of her wings would not be heard from the ground. Below her as she flew on, Fylla stared down at the many monsters, searching for hopeful food in the midst of the sand. Then the white blanket on the earth turned grayer and the sky was covered in a foul mist. Fylla raised higher up toward the clean air, though the pressure there was almost more then she could take. About five fresh scrolls were attached to her paw and she could not fail to deliver them.  
Far below the mist, spawn appeared from the depths of the sand, with eyes as purple as the sky. They growled and clawed at each other, while the Cursed Land sank more into the shadow of the night. An ancient prison, half ruined, lay nearby, where numbers of warriors fought for their lives between the clashing of swords. They slaughtered one monster after the other, but the spawning didn't seem to end at all. When they looked up at the sky and found it far too dark, they decided to leave their slaughtering, and to flee for Ruinen to spend the night. As soon as they passed a strange shape in the ground, they had not the courage to look at it, for it gave them the shivers. Once there had lain a wasted skeleton, which should have belonged to a dragon shaped creature. But now it was gone and no one knew where to. It wasn't all that pretty to find out, so the warriors only focused their minds on what was their business. But what if that skeleton was in fact their business?  
He would know, the man hovering high in the sky, hidden in the thick mist of the evening. When Fylla felt him, she startled and quickly dove to fly below the mist, afraid to look up as she passed him. For the man laughed at the sight of her, a laughter that had never left the kestrel's mind ever since that fateful day. That man was the cause of their trouble and now he his wings to patrol all over Priston with.  
When she thought she had moved far enough, Fylla carefully looked back, but she could see nothing through the fog. She wasn't sure if that had been him at all, but her feelings had never been wrong before. Suddenly, another feeling took over, a new one, a strange one. Fylla stopped dead in the air and gazed back as she hovered. A scream sounded below and the kestrel immediately turned back to her course again, afraid to know what caused it. Once who would have reached Pillai to deliver her messages, she would fly back again to pick up the new ones. For there would be - lots of new messages.

A wind swayed across the sand into the east, where a strange man stood upon a hilltop once more. The axe in the ground behind his back said no meaning words to him, for only events in the north seemed to matter. His expression was tight, while his cape moved up and down in the wind and turned gold by the beams of the sun. His heart knew no fear, no exhaustion, for there was no room for it. He was not to worry about such things, for they were followers, disciples of a much greater force. Their master was watching over them from all directions, and his only worry was to those who would appose him. Not only were fellowships bonding in the west, but now also a different group had come forward again, for their leader had returned. The three groups would fight for the reign of Priston, but only one could be the winner.  
The Disciple sighed and wiped away a few locks of hair from his face. His worry went to one person, somewhere out beyond his reach. Who or where he was remained a mystery, a riddle, an enigma. The many prophecy's had told him about one and the same person, who could mean the downfall for all of them. A keyhole and a key were all that was needed to lock back their greatest threat. But this same person would lock his own people along with it. One person in all of Priston was getting closer to his goal. The one hero of the world - Midrandos is what he's called.  
Somewhere out there, far away or maybe even close, the Disciple did not know. All he knew was that he should find him, capture him and vaporise him, before another dusk would fall.  
Little did he know a Pikeman was approaching from the other side, the one his men did not watch. A sudden noise made the Disciple turn and all he saw was a figure slipping away from behind the rocks and out of sight again. 


	4. The Escape

Pristontale: The Eye of Midranda Chapter D - The Escape

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Daemon jumped to his feet and even Lenaen stood up quickly, when a hard noise sounded outside, like a breaking rock.  
"What was that?" breathed Daemon, as he stepped back from the wall.  
"I don't know," muttered Lenaen, on his guard. "It's either friend or foe"  
What a small comfort that was and Daemon jumped even higher when suddenly the back wall in front of them was cracked and burst open. Bricks and black rock tumbled in, leaving a great cloud of dust filling the room. Daemon covered his eyes while his heart pounded, hearing footsteps crumbling the stone of the floor. For a moment there was silence, but then Daemon could hear a laughter coming from Lenaen, and finally dared to open his eyes.  
There between the sides of the broken wall stood a well-build man, a Pike by the looks of his scythe, with a black mask covered the lower half of his face. He said nothing, but breathed heavily, while the moon shone down on him from the sky.  
"Beam!" Lenaen cried out, laughing, and stepped forward. "You couldn't have picked a more quiet way"  
The Pike shrugged. "If I had done that I would have already been caught," he said and then laughed, hugging the mage tightly. "Let's go, I've been seen. We must leave now." Then his eyes fell on Daemon as they were scanning the room and the Pike seemed startled. "Who's this"  
"This is Daemon," smiled Lenaen. "He's a prisoner too"  
Beam seemed to consider it for a moment, but then agreed. "Alright, you come too, boy." His voice sounded slightly irritated. "But you'd better not get us into trouble. Do exactly as you are told, alright"  
Daemon was still shocked about how fast things went, but his heart leaped when he realised he was being freed. So he nodded quickly and stepped forward, following the two men out of the prison and into the cool air of the night.  
"In a few moments we have to run," said Beam quietly, after they had hidden themselves behind a large rock. "The Disciples are very fast, so we mustn't stop until we reach the city gates. But before that, just one more thing." Then he turned to Lenaen and reached out his hand to him.  
The mage examined a little stone inside the Pike's hand and then took it. Daemon thought it looked like a frozen drop of water, though the end was spiky, in the colors of purple and black. Lenaen grabbed it tightly in one hand and closed his eyes, creating a soft wind that began to swirl around him. Daemon stepped back and stared at the sight with open mouth. When the mage opened his eyes they were no longer weary and the stone had vanished from his hand. Beam smiled and suddenly held a stick he had got from under his armor. It was dark-brown with a beautiful green stone attached in the top. Lenaen examined it for a while with a sparkle in his eye and then took it carefully. He watched his staff from top to the bottom and let his fingers run over the green stone. Then a smile appeared on his face, which grew even wider and he looked at Beam, who nodded back. Daemon could see the happiness in the mage's face, the happiness of freedom.  
"Alright," said Lenaen and heaved a sigh. "Let's go"  
"You," said Beam and turned to Daemon, who startled. "Run close past the mountain flank to the west and don't stop, got it"  
Daemon didn't know what to say, so he nodded hastily.  
"If you get caught," said Beam clearly, "we're not coming back for you. Lenaen and I will try to hold them back, but fighting the Disciples is foolish, understand"  
Again Daemon nodded, though in his mind a dislike for the Pikeman swelled up. Of course he had to do as he was told, in order to survive.  
"Now!" said Lenaen suddenly and he and Beam took off with great speed.  
Daemon didn't hesitate for a moment and quickly ran after them, close to the mountain flank as Beam had said. The moment they had left their shelter from behind the rock, men in black robes appeared in front of them, and Beam and Lenaen swayed their attacks at them. Daemon's heart froze for he couldn't believe it, when one of the Disciples vanished in a black smoke and evaded the attack, to appear again a few meters sideways. Daemon ran past him without stopping and didn't dare to look back. In front of him, Beam and Lenaen had stopped and waited for him to pass them, before running again and trying to strike the Disciples. Suddenly a black man appeared right in front of him and Daemon slipped the ground to stop, his heart pounding. But the Disciple didn't attack, although it looked like he was trying. Daemon looked around him anxiously and picked up a stone from the mountain flank, throwing it toward the Disciple. It happened like Daemon had expected - the black man vanished and he started running again immediately, while hearing the footsteps of Beam and Lenaen closely behind him.  
The sand made it so much harder to take steps and Daemon felt like he had been running for hours. Yet the further they went, the less Disciples seemed to attack them. Daemon felt he was running out of breath fast, but still pushed himself to keep running. He had squeezed his eyes closed to gather strength and didn't see where he was going, for suddenly he bumped into something hard in front of him. He was knocked back to the floor and rubbed his forehead in great pain. He could feel the bump aching as he opened his eyes, and gasped while jumping to his feet. For great walls rose high up in front of him, which used to be white, but yellowed over the years. On the very top, banners and flags swayed on the wind of the night, with all kinds of symbols and weapons on them. Daemon suddenly noticed his mouth was wide open and quickly swallowed, as he turned back to see Beam and Lenaen joining him. The desert behind them was quiet once more, with no Disciple in sight. "We made it," breathed Lenaen and smiled up at the high walls. "Navisko"  
"What?" said Daemon in surprised and gazed at the gate before them. "This is Navisko"  
"So you made it"  
Daemon turned and saw another man approaching from the shadow of the mountain. His hair was red in brown and his armor thick, while he held a large axe in just one hand. The marks on his cheek were the same as those of Lenaen, and probably as those of Beam too, so Daemon assumed they all belonged together.  
"Glad you're alright," the man said to Lenaen and shook his hand, who nodded thankfully. "So we spend the night here"  
"Yup," said Beam, heaving a sigh and took off his weapons, laying them carefully in the sand. Then he took off his mask and Daemon almost gasped by the sight of it, though his face wasn't unusual at all. "Navisko is closed now," Beam continued. "We should wait until morning, so get near the mountain, all three of you"  
Lenaen patted Daemon on the shoulder and let him into the dark shadow of the mountain side, while Beam stayed in the moonlight on the watch.  
"So who is this?" asked the strange fighter, as he sat down, pointing at Daemon.  
"I'm Daemon," he answered and shook the fighter's hand.  
"My name is Tim," said the warrior friendly. "Easy enough to remember"  
Daemon smiled, for he already started to like this man. "Why can't we enter now?" he asked, as he sat down in the sand as well. "Have you not heard the stories?" said Lenaen, a little surprised.  
"Oh... right," said Daemon and sighed, for he indeed had heard the stories. "It's cursed at night time"  
"No," said Tim, as he patted the mountain. "It's always cursed, but at night it comes to life"  
"Yes well, same thing," said Daemon wearily and then realised how tired he was. "Lenaen..." he muttered after a while. "Why couldn't those Disciples attack us"  
"You've seen them trying then?" Lenaen shrugged as he stared at the sky. "The mountains despise them and provided us with protection"  
"I see," said Daemon thoughtfully. "That's why we had to run past the flanks, right"  
"Right," repeated Lenaen and yawned. "Go to sleep, Daemon. Tomorrow we will press on"  
Daemon felt his stomach rumbling and didn't assume they had something to eat. So after one last look at Beam, who stood watching the sky, he yawned and stretched himself, laying back into the sand.

The stars twinkled high in the sky, while perfectly white clouds softly passed overhead. Tyrank lay wide awake in his comfortable bed and stared at the ceiling with his arms supporting his head. He heaved a sigh and startled when suddenly a voice sounded from next to him.  
"You awake"  
Tyrank looked sideways and saw Roldin sitting up straight on the edge of his own bed.  
The moment the Lunan had arrived, he and Tyrank had swapped stories and opinions. Tyrank had noticed Roldin's strange behaviour and knew the Pike feared the future. Nonetheless, they both suffered from the same kind of curse and felt each others pain, as they both were unable to sleep at night.  
"Of course I am," said Tyrank quietly and looked back at the ceiling.  
"I was thinking..." started Roldin. "Where do you think Yiro could be"  
Tyrank sighed and sat up straight. "Why are you thinking about that now?" he asked a little annoyed. "You should go to sleep instead of worrying like this"  
"I know..." muttered Roldin and looked away. "This might be one of the last nights in which we can sleep. But we need to know, Tyrank"  
"But I don't," answered Tyrank and thought deeply. "And now he has taken Melocrie," Roldin continued. "What do you suppose he wants with her"  
"It's an act of vengeance," said Tyrank and rubbed his neck. "I think he wants to destroy her statue"  
"What?" Roldin gasped quietly. "No"  
"Don't worry." Tyrank heaved another sigh and looked the Lunan right in the eyes. "She cannot be hurt by him"  
"How so?" Roldin wondered.  
"Because she's an ascendant of the Falcorra," Tyrank answered. "And Yiro's an ascendant of Midranda"  
"Are you saying that the Falcorra are like immune to the Midranda"  
Tyrank raised his shoulders and shook his head. "Not sure..." he muttered. "I wish I knew, because I fear for her. Yet my feelings strongly tell me that she's in no trouble"  
"I just hope you're right," said Roldin darkly. "I have no idea where this might lead us too"  
"Neither do I." Tyrank lay back on his bed and covered himself with the blankets. "Go to sleep, Roldin"  
The Lunan remained where he was for a few more minutes and then lay back as well. His thoughts wondered off to Yiro again, the scarred man with the horrifying laughter, and wondered whether he would be able to sleep at all.

Meanwhile, Royal Mage Ray stood upon the highest ground in Pillai, gazing endlessly at the night sky. He seemed to be waiting for something, searching for something. Suddenly a smile appeared from under his hood, as a small figure appeared far away in the distance. It came closer and after a while the flapping of wings sounded softly in the silence. Fylla carefully touched down on a fence and shook her feathers, while Ray stroke her back and whispered words to her. Then he reached out and took a little scroll of her paw, as he kestrel flew up again and landed on the edge of a roof. Ray opened the scroll slowly and began reading the message. His smile faded almost instantly and looked up at the kestrel, who's eyes seemed sadder than ever. "She's gone," Ray said after a while. "And you know she is"  
Fylla made no sound, but shuffled her feathers a bit.  
"And you wish to find her." Ray shrugged, folded up the scroll again and hid it underneath his robes. "But you're not going alone, for you are not alone"  
This time Fylla made a quiet noise and tilted her head a bit. Ray stared at her for a few minutes and suddenly the kestrel began to shiver, squeaking like a mouse.  
"Shh.." said Ray comforting and walked closely to her. "It's alright, I have seen him too. Soon he will be nothing but a shadow once more"  
It indeed seemed to comfort the bird and Fylla became still again, lifting her head to the sky.  
"Go rest," said Ray and turned back to his own house.  
Fylla remained on her spot for several seconds, before taking off toward the tree where Kayleigh had build her a special nest.

A Disciple stood staring at the desert once more, but not toward the north - toward the west. His face had grown even darker, while his muscles tensed in anger. He still couldn't believe his prisoners had escaped and he turned to the mountains, which he despised as well. "Sir"  
The Disciple turned as his general walked up to him, with a thorn banner in one hand.  
"The Rogues have been taken care of, sir"  
A grin appeared on the Disciple's face and took the banner with a tight hand. "Good work, general," he said in a sinister voice. "They will not bother us anymore. Where have you defeated them"  
"The Iron Lands, sir," replied the general. "At the passage from Railway to Chaos to the Forbidden Land"  
"Very good indeed," smirked the Disciple and threw the banner into the sand. "Now that region is claimed for us as well. Soon we will move into the west"  
"Sir?" The general's voice sounded somewhat hesitating. The Disciple turned west again and his grin faded, as he stared into the distance. "Soon my power will overcome that of the Midranda and I shall break all of their curses." Then he turned back to the general. "Prepare our troops. When the sun rises we will march for the Iron Lands and beyond. We will return here again in eight days"  
"Yes, sir," the general nodded and returned to the temple.  
The Disciples sighed heavily and looked up at the moon, his inspiration and disliked all that was opposing him at the moment.  
"Very soon," he said quietly to the sky, "Priston will be mine and they will all pay. They will not live to unite under one banner."

Daemon shifted uncomfortably as he couldn't get those strange images out of his head. An unknown girl was constantly running toward him, without getting closer at all, with nothing but darkness behind her. The emotion of her face kept changing: first it was fierce, then sad, scared and fierce again. Suddenly, behind her a small light began to glow up, then bursting into flame. It followed her every step, though it didn't seem to be unfriendly. The girl did not turn to watch, but suddenly the images were zoomed out, until she was nothing but a dot in the distance. Also that faded, until the image of a yellowed map appeared, with strange markings and writing on it. Somewhere along the words moved a little green dot, going south from Eura. Then appeared another dot, blue this time and both stopped when they crossed paths. Daemon felt himself turn pleasantly warm, but then horribly cold. And after what seemed a long while, the green dot moved further south, while the blue one went north. The green suddenly turned west and stopped by a mark with the writing 'Navyskao.  
Then the map was torn and its pieces burst into flame, followed by a thundering laughter and the ringing of heavy bells. Daemon shot up from the sand and tried to scream out, but his throat hurt so bad and no sound came out. He coughed desperately, while trying to shake the image of a dangerous face from his head. The touch of a warm hand on his shoulder made him jump and his eyes were watering, but the coughing didn't stop.  
"Calm yourself!" said Lenaen's voice, urgent but worried. "Take this"  
Daemon felt something cold against his hand and took the cup of water from the mage. After swallowing a few times, he began to drink it hastily, in order to lift the pain from his throat. When he had finished, he swallowed a few more times and rubbed his eyes.  
"Are you alright?" asked Lenaen and Daemon could now see the expression on his face.  
"I'm fine," he breathed and rubbed his head. "It... it was just a bad dream, that's all"  
"Not surprising," shrugged the mage and relaxed again. "I too had nightmares"  
"Really?" Daemon looked sideways at him, a little surprised and then heaved a sigh. "Right... That prison was nothing fun after all"  
Lenaen nodded. "Even one night in there can crack your dreams. But it'll pass in a few days"  
"Few days?" Daemon moaned, for he didn't not think he could stand another night like the last. Finally, after recovering himself, he looked around and noticed the desert was highly different by day. Then he noticed something else - it was Tim, staring at them while sitting on the fence by the city gates.  
"Mornin'!" he said cheerfully and took a bit from his apple. "Slept alright"  
Daemon wanted to answer, but Lenaen beat him to it.  
"Stop your joking!" the mage smirked and gave a laughter. "Where's Beam gone to"  
"Shoppin'", said Tim and swallowed the apple whole, knocking it down it's chest. "Restocking and stuff, it'll save us some time. 'When the sun is higher, we can immediately be on our way,' that's what he said"  
Daemon thought for a second and then saw that the gates of Navisko had been opened.  
"Fair enough," sighed Lenaen and leaned back against the rocks of the mountain. "Nice morning"  
Daemon looked from Lenaen to Tim, and back again. For some reason he admired the way the two men spoke to each other and instantly longed for home again. It reminded him of his own friends, back in Eura... at least, Eura was still there. He would find a way to get back there, though he wasn't sure how and when. Suddenly he grabbed his stomach with blinding pain, which passed in a few seconds and heaved a sigh.  
"I'm hungry..." he said, more to himself than to the others. He didn't want to complain much and make himself look like a child.  
"Me too," replied Lenaen, to Daemon's relieve. "Beam should be back any minute"  
"Yup," answered Tim and lifted his head to the sky. "But don't mind him this morning, though. He's not in the best mood."

The sun raised higher, while gray clouds covered the sky and a heavy wind was swelling in the air. The flapping of great wings made the damp swirl, as two winged angels moved forth in the sky - one as cold as ice, one as black as the night. They were weary, for they had dragged along a heavy object since their last task. On the back of black angel sat a familiar man, his grin widening as he got closer to his goal. Though the thought of opponents didn't exactly make his day, he was convinced that nothing or no one was able to stop him this time.  
Yiro motioned his angels lower through the clouds as they approached their destination. Finally, he made them strike down onto a cold, dark field, surrounded by iron flanks. The sunlight couldn't reach the fallen square in which they stood and Yiro's laughter echoed against the flanks, as Melocrie's statue was lowered onto the ground. He enjoyed looking at her face, for her determination had been in vain.  
"Rest," he spat at his angels and pointed his finger to a deeper place in the shadow. "Leave us"  
The angels bowed and moved away, floating only inches from the ground, and disappeared in the darkness. Yiro slowly walked in circles around the statue, chuckling softly. "You thought you could break me?" he then said quietly, but his smile never faded. "Well, you almost did." Yiro lifted the broad and heavy sword up from his belt around the middle, and held it high in two hands, while raising his voice.  
"Your bird took down my beautiful Iyagi... You broke my Titan like a wall of bricks... And you broke me, took away everything I had, together with those silly friends of yours"  
He slowly raised his sword higher and tightened his grip, while a green energy started to surround the blade.  
"But now I shall break you... and I shall break your friends"  
Suddenly, a green light exploded from the blade and bounced off against the iron flanks, overthundered by Yiro's scream. The Koltan gathered all his strength and swung his sword around, hitting the stone statue with all his might.  
This was his hour of victory, the true turn of events and the first part of his revenge would be complete.  
But shock overcame him when nothing like that happened. Instead, his sword got stuck in the air, only inches away from the cold stone and was suddenly thrown back. Yiro lost his grip and the blade smashed against the iron, breaking right in half. The green light shot into all directions and then faded, while the angels watched it happen from the shadow.  
"No..." Yiro breathed and stepped back, as he just couldn't believe it. "Broke me again... No! No more! You will die"  
In anger, he gathered up all his energy into the palm of his hand and suddenly a flash of lightning shot through the sky, while drops of rain began to fell down. A crash of light smashed an iron rock nearby and Yiro shot his energy at the statue, but was blocked by an other one. The green light was bounced back again and disappeared, while Yiro stood to the ground, breathing heavily in fury. He shook his head and grabbed his hair, screaming out to the sky in anger, which made the world shiver even more.

The weather had turned all of a sudden and Daemon covered his head with the hat of his fluffy coat to stop himself from getting too wet. Tim watched the sky rather offended, but nothing seemed to bother Lenaen. He was just staring at the gray heavens, with a light flashing through every now and then. A rumbling sounded in the distance and Tim stood up, moaning.  
"Great.. Thunder," he sulked. "That's all we need"  
"Don't whine," said Lenaen and laughed. "A little rain won't kill you"  
"Excuse me if I'm not as fond of the elements as you are," smirked Tim. "Maybe I'm just not as 'serene"  
"Why don't I get up and kick your non-serene ass?" grinned Lenaen and stood to his feet.  
"Bring it on!" said Tim and raised his chest with a broad smile on his face. "Unless you're afraid to break a nail"  
Daemon laughed along, but suddenly his smile faded slowly and felt himself turning red, as Beam had appeared from the gates, and stared at the two men standing in front of each other. Lenaen noticed him too and tried to hold back his laughter, while Tim had actually filled his cheeks with air. When he noticed Lenaen was staring at something behind him, he turned and immediately stood his position again when he saw Beam, frowning at him.  
"Sorry, I was just..." the fighter started, but never finished and stepped sideways to let the Pike through.  
"They're expecting a great storm that will last until dusk," said Beam, walking up to Lenaen while ignoring their behaviour before. "That means we will have to travel further to the Oasis in bad weather"  
"What?" Tim said and moaned. "Seriously"  
"Yes, seriously," said Beam clearly and turned to him. "Unless you wish to stay in this city for the night"  
Tim understood he lost and gave in with a nod.  
"And you," said Beam then and turned to Daemon, who quickly got to his feet. "Will you be able to take it"  
"Yes, sir," said Daemon, trying to control his voice. He had been afraid to speak to the Pike at first, but now felt that he could. And he understood he had to remain careful, for Tim was right: Beam was not in the best mood. It seemed best to remain formal.  
"You'd better not fall behind," continued the Pikeman. "For we will not turn around to carry burdens. Understood"  
"Yes, sir," said Daemon again and was slightly shocked when he could hear the detest in his own voice. Beam frowned and him for a second, but then decided to let it go and turned back to Lenaen. "Watch him, alright?" he said quietly.  
Lenaen nodded, but Daemon had heard and as soon as Beam had turned his back, he shrugged annoyed.

Their mission was to explore certain ruins in the Forest of Spirits, a task the Royal Mage had given them. But they all had thoughts deep within that delayed them and forced them into conversation. The morning was yet passing further by and time was not stopping, though there still seemed to be a lack of progress.  
Dylane paced around the Royal Mage's cabin as he rubbed his chin and thought deeply. Kayleigh watched him anxiously, while Tyrank and Roldin seemed to be far more patient. Urani stood with his back against the wall with his arms folded and Ray himself sat on a chair, waiting for anyone to speak. Debhora was outside, trying to keep Fylla company, as the kestrel seemed to be more stressed than any of them.  
"So, to get things straight," Cage said eventually, who stood next to Urani, also thinking deeply. "Yiro has escaped from the Ancient Dungeon and something unknown is with him. His powers has seemed to have grown and now he possesses even stronger weapons, with which he has taken Melocrie. Next to that, there's a group of radicals in the east about which we shouldn't even be worrying, but we are. And there's really nothing we can think of to do about it"  
"That's about it," muttered Tyrank and rubbed with forehead. "It's a problem of forces, I guess"  
"As in we don't have any?" asked Urani thoughtfully. "We do have force and many allies who will support us"  
"I will not risk my people to the brick of destruction," said Roldin clearly. "I will not let them fight a battle we cannot win"  
"I'm not talking about a battle," replied Tyrank. "But about certain action that must take place without risking a war"  
"I think war is upon us either way," said Leroy and sighed. "Yiro will not wait for us to strike first"  
"I agree," said Kayleigh quietly, for she had thought about her words a long time. "We don't know if the other Koltans still exist, but Yiro's is our largest problem now. We first have to find out what his weapons are this time"  
"Of course we do," said Ray suddenly and stepped forward. "Go now"  
"What?" Cage shrugged. "But we must come up with a solution"  
"I told you to leave for ruins in the Forest of Spirits," answered the mage. "That is all I am telling you"  
His voice sounded urgent and Tyrank examined him for a moment, before turning to the others.  
"He might be right," he said then. "We will take the teleporter to Ruinen and go north from there"  
"Right now?" frowned Urani and looked at Ray, whose expression changed his mind. "Alright then"  
Tyrank bowed to the Royal Mage and looked at Roldin one last time, before leading his friends outside. There he found Debhora sitting on a fence, but the sight of Fylla made his emotions even stronger. The kestrel seemed to suffer more of the Melocrie's disappearance then themselves and no doubt about it they should get her back. Leroy did not look upon her as his little girl anymore, but more of a grand warrior on their side. Yet his fatherly love for her remained and he could not believe there was nothing he could do at the moment.  
'And we will', thought Tyrank, as he watched the bird take off with another message, which Ray had bound to her paw. 'Melocrie is one of us and we will not abandon her.' 


	5. Loss of the East

Pristontale: The Eye of Midranda Chapter E - Loss of the East ----------------------------------------

Urani gazed up at the birds passing by overhead, while Kayleigh and Dylane stepped up onto the teleporter for their journey to Ruinen. Debhora noticed the mage and lay a hand on his shoulder, as she looked sideways at Tyrank.  
"Will Fylla be alright?" she asked. "A flight to Eura isn't exactly safe. What if Yiro is out there"  
"I wish Melocrie were here," sighed Kayleigh. "She's the only one who can talk with the kestrel. Fylla could tell us more than her messages can"  
"But she is not here," said Tyrank firmly and stepped further up the bridge toward the platform. "We'd better make haste now"  
"When the bird returns I will send word to my people," said Roldin and nodded at Dylane. "But now we must leave"  
Dylane thought for a moment and then nodded, taking Kayleigh by the hand. As soon as the wing was placed in the right holder, a white light swallowed them up and they disappeared. Next up were Urani and Debhora, followed by Cage and Leroy. As they vanished into the light as well, Tyrank looked back and gazed over the village of Pillai, heaving a great sigh.  
"I know," said Roldin suddenly, but quietly and gazed over the village as well. "If only we could have such peace"  
"We will," said Tyrank and turned to the Lunan, examining him slowly. "You know what they say - Beyond the desert lies the promised land"  
Roldin shrugged. "I don't think we'd take the Koltans there with us"  
"We will go up," said Tyrank. "But Yiro is going down"  
With those words he passed by Roldin and stepped up the platform, while the Lunan followed after a few seconds. As the light swallowed them whole, Ray watched them from a distance, his hood clouding his face like always.  
Ruinen was so much darker than Pillai and the enviroment so much grayer. Dylane and Kayleigh waited for the others to arrive, before setting off to Ruinen all together. It seemed rather quiet in the desert, maybe too quiet. Urani noticed his hands were sweating while sqeezing his staff hard and Kayleigh took Dylane's hand even tighter. "Stay close," Dylane whispered to her, as he looked around from the corners of his eyes.  
"Nothing is wrong," said Tyrank, but carefully. "Try to relax"  
And he seemed to be right, for nothing happened all the way. They reached Ruinen village safely and the people greeted them as always. Roldin visited the blacksmith while Debhora went to see the potion girl for a new stock. "Nothing has changed here," said Urani, while looking around. "It's just like last time"  
"Gloomy as ever," shrugged Cage. "Let's head north as soon as possible"  
"I agree," said Kayleigh. "I'm really not used to this tensing silence"  
"What's gotten into you?" frowned Tyrank. "You are warriors and this scares you"  
"Can you blame us?" said Urani and he shivered by the mere thought of the Koltans. "Nothing really seems safe anymore"  
Tyrank said nothing more, for he understand that the events from Navisko had impacted all of them. The curse he bore himself was preventing him from sharing emotions and he only suffered from his own. Trying to ignore the dark side of his feelings, he waited until everyone was ready, before leading the way to the bridge up north.  
"The desert protects this place," said Roldin eventually, as they walked up the hill. "Devastated as it is, this place will never be overrun." As the mountains began to close around them, the bridge over the abyss came in sight, with a more beautiful land on the other side. Kayleigh gasped when she saw it, though it was nothing unusual to her. It was the contrast that made her eyes grow wide, the gray landscape against the beautiful forest.  
"The desert curse ends here," told Leroy, as they all passed over the bridge. "Morion has protected this region well"  
"Somehow our magic could not reach beyond this abyss," said Kayleigh. "If it could, we would have flowered Ruinen already"  
"Some day it will," smiled Dylane. "Some day Ruinen will be as beautiful as Pillai."

"We cannot stay here," shouted Beam, as they still stood outside the gates of Navisko. "The Disciples roam this land, we must cross to the west for that is the only safe place now"  
Daemon watched Beam as nothing made sense and then watched the knight who stood before him. He and Beam had met in the city, but the knight had come with bad news. It seemed that the Oasis was invaded by stronger monsters and no one seemed to know how that was possible. Daemon puzzled as he looked at Lenaen and Tim, who both seemed to be listening carefully.  
"We broke up camp and set off for Navisko in small groups, but most fell behind," said the knight. "The Oasis is no longer safe, we must find another place to stay. The Ice lands belong to us, let's go there"  
"I am your leader, general Bazz," said Beam firmly, "and you will do as I tell you"  
This seemed to strike the knight hard and he stood up straighter, while Daemon could feel Lenaen tensing beside him.  
"The Ice lands were taken by the Disciples when they invaded Eura," continued Beam after a few seconds of silence. "We had to flee, don't you remember? That's when Lenaen was captured and I do not wish to see such a thing happen again"  
Daemon had listened closely and his heart had made a weird leap at the name of his home. So the Disciples had taken over Eura... What about his family and friends? What about Farrah? Daemon noticed he had begun to breath heavily and Lenaen looked sideways at him, frowning.  
"But there must be some place we can stay," said Tim, thinking. "What about Ruinen"  
"Ruinen is too far away from the Ice lands," said the knight called Bazz. "And we should wait for the rest to arrive here anyway"  
"I did not put you in charge to make rash desicions," said Beam angrily. "But because you're so fond of them, why don't you solve this: where should we go now"  
"Beam, would you relax?" said Lenaen eventually and stepped forward. "It's going to be alright, we just need some thinking"  
"I am not going to sit here and think while he's sending off my brother into danger," said Beam, pointing at Bazz. "Tal is big boy," frowned Tim. "He'll do fine"  
Beam stared at Tim for a while, then at Lenaen, Bazz and finally at Daemon. Daemon was a little startled, but he wanted Beam to calm too, more so that he could think quietly himself. Eventually, Beam heaved a sigh and sat down on the fence, rubbing his forehead.  
"The Disciples are already winning," he sighed. "We need to re-conquer the Ice lands, that's a fact"  
"And we will," said Lenaen surely. "But we need time and space. So we first need to decide where we are going to stay"  
"What about the Bellatra?" said Tim suddenly. "It's empty now, isn't it? And large enough for us all"  
"That's not a bad idea," said Bazz happily. "I'm sure the people would let us, as long as we stay indoors at night"  
"But it's at night when the bad things happen," said Beam. "Think of our battle in the Ice lands. A quiet night means danger"  
"Oh come on, Beam," sighed Lenaen. "You have nothing to lose, do you"  
Beam shrugged and thought it over. "Very well then," he said finally and stood up, turning to Bazz. "General, make sure our troops are notified and meet us back here at dusk"  
"Yes sir," said Bazz and bowed his head, disappearing through the gates.  
"Lenaen", said Beam and turned to the mage. "You take the boy and go to Ricarten. Ask permission for the usage of the Bellatra from the Elders. Try everything you can to get it"  
"Count on us," said Lenaen and smiled at Daemon, who didn't feel comfortable at all.  
"Tim, you come with me," finished Beam. "We need to warn the scouts up the desert"  
"We should pass by the northern borders, though," said Tim. "Since the Disciples are in the south.  
Beam nodded. "Stay close to the mountain. Alright, move out"  
"Bazz did not bring our people in danger," said Lenaen quickly, but quietly to Beam. "He saved them by sending them out of the Oasis. And you know it"  
The Pike looked at the Mage but then turned away, disappearing in the desert. He said nothing back, but through his stubbornness he knew Lenaen was right.

Daemon stared up at the many banners on top of the city walls once more, as he thought deeply of home. He did not feel at all like entering the Bellatra with all these strange people, especially after the stories of that place. And that Beam wasn't exactly the guy he would like and Daemon desired to go home, but understood he had to wait for a right moment to come. Heaving a sigh, he watched Lenaen return from the blacksmith and the mage smiled.  
"He said the gate between Navisko and Ricarten is open, so we should be free to cross through"  
"Okay," said Daemon and gazed up at the banners one last time.  
"Some day our flag will be among them as well," said Lenaen dreamily, as he followed Daemon's gaze. "Maybe not now, but one day Beam will allow it"  
"But why doesn't he?" Daemon wondered with some dislike. "He really seems to have a problem"  
Lenaen looked at Daemon, who felt himself turn red, but then laughed. "I guess he has," said the mage, as he walked up the platform of the warpgate. "I understand that the clouding of your path annoys you," he continued as he turned. "But you just have to be patient"  
Daemon sighed and nodded. "I know," he said. "But... do I really have a part to play in this all"  
"You do now, don't you?" frowned Lenaen. "You're accompaning me to Ricarten"  
"I'm not accompanying you," shrugged Daemon, as he stepped up the platform. "You're stuck with me. And don't we need a wing for these things"  
"Nope," said Lenaen. "No wing required"  
And he was right, for before Daemon could even reply, a white light appeared from under their feet and started to raise, swirling around their bodies. Daemon panicked for just a second, when the light covered all view before him and his own body started to feel as light as a feather. It seemed to last for so long, but suddenly gravity returned and his feet landed hard on the floor, almost knocking him over. Then slowly the light waned and vanished, revealing a sight of a small field of grass surrounded by grey walls.  
Daemon watched the area from the corners of his eyes and then turned around, seeing the exact design of the warpgate lying behind him. Then he looked up at Lenaen and the mage grinned, waving his hand toward a small passage nearby. "You will get used he it," he laughed. "We still have a few hours before dusk. Want to go do some sight seeing"  
"Really?" Daemon slowly recovered from their trip and realised he had never went through a warpgate before. If only the people back home could hear about this! Being away from Eura had been terrible at first, but now things didn't seem so bad and all that was left was homesickness. And Daemon was sure that if it hadn't been Lenaen who was with him, he would have already broken down. "Sure"  
Lenaen guided him through the passage on their left and they entered a small street, with a narrow river on the left and grey stairways on the right. People were walking back and forth, up and down the stairs and some even went toward the warpgate. Other went into the same direction as they, as Daemon was fascinated by their looks. They all seemed to be warriors and so different, though most of them seemed to know each other. They all wore extremely detailed battle armors and had the most fearsome weapons with them. Yet they all greeted each other friendly and some even seem to know Lenaen.  
"Have you been here before?" asked Daemon. "Of course I have," said Lenaen, laughing. "I'm the counsiler and official messenger of our people, so I have to travel a lot"  
"Why doesn't Beam to those things himself?" wondered Daemon, a little offended for he found it rather unfair.  
"Because Beam has other things to deal with," answered Lenaen, and suddenly his voice didn't sound so cheerful at all. "But that's not your concern. Let's go on, I bet you might like the city square"  
Daemon didn't really like it when people changed the subject, especially when he was eager to find out. But his next sight changed all thoughts in his head and without knowing he stopped walking, his mouth falling open and his eyes growing wide. For in front of him the passage broadened and joined a huge square of grey stones, filled with all kinds of people. There were shops all around and everyone seemed to be trading, stocking and exchanging stories. Either way they were all enjoying themselves and Daemon would have loved nothing but to join them at the moment.  
"Go take a look around," said Lenaen to Daemon's happiness. "But do not wander off, I'm going to see the Elders now. When the sun is going down, meet me back at the warpgate"  
"So I have like... three more hours!" said Daemon and gazed over the people. "Incredible"  
"Here." Lenaen reached out his hand and Daemon took a little pouch from it. "There's gold inside. Spend it how you see fit"  
"Really?" Daemon couldn't believe it and smiled broadly. "Thanks"  
"No problem, but remember what I told you," said Lenaen sternly.  
Daemon nodded. "I won't wander off and I'll be back at the warpgate when the sun does down"  
"Good," said Lenaen and smiled. "Don't get yourself into trouble"  
Daemon watched Lenaen vanishing from sight over a stairway and eagerly turned back to the square. He had no idea what he would buy, but his longing to socialize was growing and the first steps forward seemed to be the hardest. What was holding him back? Was he nervous?  
"No..." he found him whispering to himself. "This is not my home"  
He quickly shook his head and lifted his foot, stepping forward. This somehow broke his shield of anxiety and he was able to walk toward the crowd, ready to enjoy himself. But not too much, he said in his thoughts. You belong in Eura, this is not forever.

Lenaen descended the stairs that had led to the other side of Ricarten and his heart started to feel colder with each step. The last few visits in Ricarten had been nothing but to bring and hear bad news, and he wasn't sure if Beam could take another backfire. Still the idea of staying in the Bellatra remained good to him and he was decided to make it happen. As he descended the last step and walked up the street from the grass, a man walked up to him with a grey beard covering his face, a large sword attached on his back. "Lenaen!" he cried and began to shake the mage's hand enthusiastically. "My old friend! It's been so long"  
"Hello, Tark," laughed Lenaen and pulled his hand back, while using the other to pat the man on the shoulder. "How are things going here? Everything quiet as always"  
"Well, not after the incident with Yiro," shrugged Tark. "The people are a little freaked, though luckily they continue living"  
"What?" Lenaen startled and frowned. "Yiro?" "Huh?" Tark stepped back and looked puzzled. "You mean... you haven't heard"  
"Heard what?" Lenaen demanded to know. "Tell me"  
Tark swallowed and looked around, sighing. Then he turned and waved at the mage to follow him. "Let's not discuss this in public"  
Lenaen still frowned as he followed Tark up an other stairway, covered with a green carpet. It led them through a passage upon a large stage, toward a great door on the other side. Tark took a great key from his belt and unlocked it, letting Lenaen in and shutting the door again behind him. They had entered a large living room in the colors of green and red, with many kinds of equipment on the walls beside the torches. The room was filled with tables and couches and on the other side stood a large fireplace, with a swirling stairway up next to it.  
"Please sit down," said Tark as he took off his gear. "I'm sorry about the mess, though. Yella has been out of town and I'm no good cleaning it myself, so I will just"  
"I have no time for small talk," said Lenaen, as he sat down. "Please tell me what has happened"  
"Whoa, you're turning serious all of a sudden," frowned Tark, as he sat down on his own chair. "No time for stories, eh"  
"Not enough life hearts left, you might say," replied Lenaen and sighed. "We are indeed running out of time. Things aren't going so well with Hellphoenix, and if there's anything unusual of importance, I need to know"  
"I see," said Tark and also started to become serious. "No time for a wine then either, I guess"  
"No," said Lenaen shortly and tried to keep his patience.  
"Alright," sighed Tark and shifted in his seat. "Yiro has returned, escaped from the Ancient Dungeon, with more foul weapons at his side than the Titan and Iyagi"  
"What?" Lenaen breathed and bended forward a little. "That's not possible. No one has ever escaped from that place"  
"True," said Tark darkly. "But he did not it alone, though we still don't know what exactly happened. But that's not all... Have you noticed anything strange about the square"  
Lenaen thought for a second and then raised his shoulders. "Nothing special. Wait..!" His heart leaped, but not in a pleasant way. "Something was different, now you mention it. Emptier maybe"  
"Melocrie's statue is gone," said Tark straight. "And Yiro's the one who took her"  
Lenaen slowly shook his head as he didn't want to believe it, and yet it pained him for he did. "Gone...?" he voice sank even lower and Tark could see his eyes changing. "Where is he now"  
"He's gone east," Tark said, but carefully.  
"No.. no, no!" Lenaen stood to his feet. "Not more in the east!" he breathed. "Darn it all." He sank back onto the couch and heaved a sigh, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I have to tell Beam"  
"I guess you do," said Tark and stood to his feet. "I will give you some wine anyway." Then he walked to the mantelpiece and took some glasses, filling them from a bottle.  
Lenaen still sat motionless at he stared into nowhere, barely hearing Tark humming to himself. It was something he didn't like to admit to himself, nor to tell Beam about it, but... it seemed that reclaiming the eastern lands became more and more impossible. Suddenly he looked up, sighed and stood to his feet.  
"I have to go," the mage said and turned to Tark, who stood gaping at him with two glasses in his hands.  
"But.." said Tark and raised the glasses. "No wine"  
"I must speak with the other Elders," Lenaen said thoughtfully, ignoring Tark's offer.  
"What, to have their permission?" Tark sighed and put the glasses back down on the mantelpiece, before grabbing the mage's shoulder tightly. "Don't you worry about that, I will take care of it. Go take a look around in town, it might get your mind off it for a bit"  
"Maybe you're right," nodded Lenaen and smiled weakly. "Thanks, my friend"  
Tark grinned and they shook hands firmly. "Not a problem, friend."

Ricarten seemed so enormous compared to Eura and there were certainly many more people around. Daemon enjoyed himself as he looked around the shops and eventually he wasn't afraid to talk with people anymore. Once a warrior with a great axe came by and Daemon had the courage to ask him his name, his history and places he had been. The gold he had got from Lenaen was still in his pocket and not a penny had been spend. Daemon sighed as he looked around and found he should really buy something. There had been so many things he wanted to have, but didn't have enough gold for all of them. So he stopped when he passed by the same shop for the fifteenth time to look around. It belonged to two young boys loaded with battle marks and one larger man, who seemed to be their father. When he saw that Daemon was looking through they stuff again, he laughed and leaned forward.  
"You looking for something in particular, m'boy?" he asked friendly.  
Daemon startled and looked up, but couldn't help a laughter. "I'm not sure," he said and examined the many items. "I need something I can always use"  
"Our table is full of them," the man laughed. "What about a sword? Can't hurt to have a weapon with you at all times"  
"That's true," agreed Daemon and became exited by the very thought of having his own sword. "Which do you have, sir"  
The man smiled and stood up, leading Daemon around the table. There he had a small collection of short and long swords, all both beautiful and simple. Daemon's mouth fell open as he looked through them, but then his eyes rested on one he liked the most. The blade was broad and yet short, light grey with a blue glow over it. The handle was made of silver and gold, with tiny blue sapphires attached along the edges. At the very tip of the blade was another tiny stone attached, an opal. Daemon liked it so much and he pointed at it, looking hopefully at the man.  
"That one is special, boy," the man said thoughtfully. "It's forged in the power of ice and water. A hundred thousand gold it is"  
"What...?" Daemon frowned, but then realised it could be a normal price for a short sword. He searched for the money pouch and opened it, counting the money. Then his eyes grew wide and he grinned, looking up at the man. "I have fivehundred thousand gold," he laughed. "I will take that sword"  
"A very good choice!" said the man happily. "Why don't you take a look around and see if there's anything else you might want"  
"Alright," smiled Daemon and walked back to the front of the table, rumbling through the items. He picked out a small stone, a sheltom, like the one that Beam had given to Lenaen. It was a Murky, the man had said. Its usage required a great deal of strength, but Daemon decided to take it anyway. Then his eyes rested on another sheltom, a Raident, but this one had a strange glow among it.  
"It's a force," said the man by the look on Daemon's face. "The right mind activates it and strengthens you for a certain amount of time"  
"Great!" said Daemon amazed. "I will take this too"  
Just when he was about to give over the money, his eyes rested on an other item as they grew even wider. Daemon's heart leaped and he grabbed for it, pulling the other items away for a better look. His heart pounded and his lips were dry, as he stared at something all too familiar. It was a map, brown and yellow from the ancient years. All the names on it were written in a strange handwriting and places were marked in red and blue. A green dot had rested on the place where Ricarten lay, while a blue dot stood higher up and further in the east. It was the map... The same map from Eura and the same from in his dream! Daemon didn't know for how long he had stood there, but he shocked from his thoughts as the man cleared his throat.  
"You taking that too, boy?" he said still friendly.  
Daemon stared at the man and then quickly nodded, folding up the paper. After handing out the gold, he attached the sword to his belt and stuck the sheltoms in his pocket, while he held the map tightly in his hand. Then he said goodbye to the friendly man, who nodded with a wink, and Daemon set off to see more.  
He only had a few thousand gold left as time went by and he had bought himself some more equipment. He now also had a little dagger, in the same colors as his sword, a beautiful, magical necklace and an armor the saleswoman called 'junior plates'. They were in the colors of black and grey, light as a feather, meant for young warriors. Daemon's grinned widened each time he thought of those words. And yet he had still held the map tightly in his hand, without letting go of it for a moment. But suddenly a strange feeling overcame him and somehow he didn't want Lenaen to see this mysterious piece of paper. So he folded it up and put it away deeply in the new bag he had bought, which he had bound to the side on his belt. The sun was setting and slowly the sky turned darker, which were the signs for Daemon to return to the warpgate. But he had stopped and looked around puzzled, as he had no idea which way he should go. Daemon heaved a sigh and searched for a friendly face is the lessing crowd, and caught one nearby him.  
"Excuse me, sir"  
But then Daemon stopped, for somehow the face had mistaken him. There barely was a face after all, for it was covered with the hood of a robe. The man inside held his arms on his back as he smiled friendly, and Daemon was surprised when a soft voice came out, not at all scary as he had expected.  
"Yes, my boy"  
Daemon swallowed and sighed again to relieve the pounding of his heart. "Sorry to bother you," he started and found it stupid he was being so formal. "Could you please tell me the way to the warpgate"  
"Why, of course," said the man and pointed his arm toward the right. "Take that passage between the stairways and the grocery grounds. Just go straight ahead and you will see it"  
"Right," said Daemon as he stared into the pointed direction. "Thank you"  
"My pleasure," said the man and smiled. "Send my best regards to Beam"  
"What?" Daemon startled and turned, but to his shock the man had disappeared. He looked around through the mass of people, but the strange man in the robe had completely gone from sight. For a moment Daemon remained where he was, frowning and as Ricarten grew darker, he became a little scared. Shaking his head, he quickly turned toward the passage and started off for the warpgate, increasing his pace with every step. Finally he broke into a run and people stared at him as he passed by, but Daemon hardly noticed it. His heart jumped in relieve when he saw Lenaen standing near the platform and the mage smiled when he entered the ground.  
"There you are." Lenaen's voice sounded different, but then his eyes grew wide. "Whoa, look at you! All dressed up, aren't you"  
"Yes," smiled Daemon while breathing. "Thanks again for the gold, I had a great time"  
"That's good," said Lenaen, smiling too. "You can show me all you bought later, but now we have to hurry"  
Daemon couldn't agree more and looked back as Lenaen stepped up onto the platform. The man with the hood had still gone and Daemon couldn't be more glad of that. He had enjoyed his stay in Ricarten very much, but still he noticed he wasn't yet used to strange places. He caught himself with the desire to return here again and quickly shook those thoughts from him.  
"Daemon, are you coming?" Daemon turned and looked up at Lenaen, who stood with the wing in his hand, ready to go. Should he tell him? Should he tell the mage about the man with the hood, for maybe it was a friend of them. Somehow the thought gave Daemon the chills and he decided not to. 'Eura is my home, Eura is my home,' he repeated to himself, as he followed Lenaen into the white light for their return to Navisko. 


	6. The Falcorra

Pristontale: The Eye of Midranda Chapter F - The Falcorra ----------------------------------------

The Forest of Spirits was given a beautiful glow by the near afternoon sun, as Tyrank and Roldin led the others further up north. Lovely maple trees bloomed all around, but the region was swarming with monsters, though they did not seem to notice the warriors. "Not really aggressive, are they?" said Cage, as he frowned at some Beedogs some distance away.  
"The sun warms them," smiled Debhora. "And even monsters like that"  
Tyrank looked sideways at Roldin, who carefully looked back, but they both said nothing.  
"Now where did Ray said those ruins were?" asked Leroy, as he kept looking around them. "He didn't," shrugged Dylane. "But half sank into the ground, he said. just keep your eyes open"  
"It's such a beautiful place," smiled Kayleigh. "Though cursed on the inside, I know"  
Tyrank sighed as the sun beamed down on him, but he could not feel anything. He thought of his wife and her home further north. They would not have time to visit her.  
They had been walking and searching for hours and finally they had reached the Wood of Hooters, a place covered with hills and rocks, all overgrown with different kinds of moss. They had fought a few monsters groups, but other than that it seemed pleasantly quiet. The only real sound were the hooting birds up in the maple trees and somehow the thought of finding the ruins had become impossible.  
"Look over there!" Urani said suddenly and pointed away toward the flank of a hill.  
Stones were sticking out of the ground, old and cracked, overgrown with flowers. When the party came closer and examined them, carvings in it became visible.  
"What's that?" frowned Debhora, pointing toward a darker spot on the floor.  
Tyrank walked to it and knelt down, running his hand softly over the ground. Then he stood up and startled the others, as he began to kick the ground. After a few times, his foot went right through the soil and he almost fell, but was caught by Leroy.  
"A tunnel?" said Dylane with wide eyes. "That's easily found"  
"I guess we just had our eyes open," mocked Leroy and knelt down beside the hole. "Should we go in"  
"Hold on," said Urani and stepped forward. "Let me just take a lot." The mage bend over the hole in the ground and descended his staff. The ball on top began to glow in a white light and a stone tunnel was revealed, which seemed to be unusually clean.  
"This is used recently..." gasped Roldin. "Or isn't it"  
"Magic?" wondered Cage. "Could be, right"  
"Of course," said Tyrank and frowned, as he examined the walls below. "I'm going in. Anyone with me"  
"What do you expect?" laughed Dylane, as he looked at the others. "Want me to lead"  
"Be my guest," shrugged Tyrank and stood up, stepping back.  
"Urani, stay close behind me," said Dylane to the mage. "I will need your light"  
"Got it," the mage said and turned to his sister. "Kayleigh, you should be one after the last in the row, using your own light"  
"Alrighty," said the priestess exited and raised her wand.  
Urani smiled and then watched how Dylane sank himself into the ground, until he hang tight with his legs down. After a while, he dropped himself and he vanished in the darkness, leaving the mage startling behind.  
"Are you alright?" said Urani, while almost sticking his head into the ground. "Dylane? Dylane, answer me"  
"I'm alright!" a voice sounded from below and Urani sighed relieved. Even Tyrank heaved a sigh, for his heart had started to pound as well. "Come on down, Urani!" shouted Dylane. "It's alright"  
Urani closed his eyes for a second and muttered some strange words, while he loosened his hands. His staff did not fall to the ground, but lightened up a bit more and floated steadily in midair. Then the mage started to descend as well, his staff following him like a loyal dog. Dylane grinned at the mage when they both stood down and shortly after the rest followed. Roldin went in first, followed by Cage, Debhora, Leroy, then Kayleigh and finally Tyrank. The tunnel started off small at first, but as it sank deeper into the ground the walls broadened, while their magic light reflected against the stones. If was awfully quiet, but for the footsteps cracking hundreds of pebbles on the floor. Suddenly Kayleigh gasped and stopped, while raising her wand higher and Tyrank almost bumped into her.  
"What is it, sis?" asked Urani as he turned.  
"Look!" breathed the priestess and pointed at the wall on their left.  
The light was blinding for a second, but then it revealed strange colors on the gray stone. Red, blue and green in different shapes covered the entire left wall, and to Dylane's surprise the same could be seen on the right. They were drawings, paintings of creatures.  
"They're birds..." muttered Cage.  
"Not just birds," said Debhora and chuckled, while pointing at one drawing in particular. "They are falcons"  
"By the Gods..." gasped Tryank quietly, as he ran a finger over the wall. "This is a beast"  
Dylane, Roldin and Leroy turned to him and they could see a large painting in red, of a horned creature with wings. It was surrounded by the falcons, who seemed to attack it from all directions.  
"This is incredible," said Leroy and he gazed up and down the walls. "What a finding"  
"I bet Ray's already seen this," shrugged Dylane and turned back to the tunnel. "Maybe we should go on"  
The paintings grew smaller the further they went, though the tunnel continued to expand. Finally they all stopped, when Dylane suddenly hit his head against something hard before him and he rubbed the bump as he sulked.  
"What in Pritos"  
Urani stepped forward and reached out his hand, touching something hard and cold in their path. Then he lay his light on it and they could see it was a piece of a brick wall, broken and very old. In the upper right corner was a huge gap, large enough for them to fit through, but too high to reach.  
"Blocked?" frowned Kayleigh, as she moved a little sideways to see what was going on. "I'll get it," said Roldin and moved through. "Out of my way"  
Urani and Dylane looked at each other, before standing back and the Lunan got something from his pocket. It was an oval shaped object, blacker than the tunnel and with a strange texture. Roldin took something from the top of the object between two fingers and pulled. He quickly threw it on the ground and motioned the others to step further back. After a few seconds, a hard sound banged through the tunnel and its echo seemed to on forever. A large cloud of dust appeared while the ground trembled and when Urani looked up, the brick wall before them had been shattered into pieces.  
"Whoa," Dylane breathed and laughed. "What was that, Roldin"  
"Just a little bomb," said Roldin and grinned as he started to climb through.  
"You're more dangerous that I thought," smirked Urani as he followed.  
Tyrank shrugged and sighed, waiting for the others to pass through. When no one was looking, he turned to the way they had came and stared into the darkness. His eyes fell upon the paintings on the walls and suddenly a cold shiver ran down his spine.  
"Tyrank, come on now"  
Tyrank turned again when Leroy called his name and shook his head. There would be time to think about it, but the time wasn't now.

"Look at this place!" gasped Urani, as he held his staff high while looking around. "It's enormous"  
The place they had entered seemed indeed like a stone underground valley, filled with old pillars and small, brick walls. Everything was covered with the same kinds of paintings, though these were less detailed, and the ground under their feet was soft from the moss. A few, small beams of light fell down on them from small gaps in the ceiling, but still it was too dark to see without the magical light. Ruins of small buildings stood everywhere around, and of houses and statues. There were even some remainings of a beautiful temple, with very detailed drawings carved in the once white stone. Kayleigh's attention was taken by a gorgeous statue of an elfish kind of warrior, a female with a great falcon resting on her arm. Debhora was gathering up tiny sculptures that lay scattered all over the floor, while Roldin and Tyrank chose to examine the drawings some more. Dylane was admiring some ancient and rusty equipment, which had probably been there for ages, while Leroy rested his eyes on one drawing in particular.  
"It's a village," muttered Cage as he examined some buildings around. "Or more, it used to be a village"  
"They're all the same," said Tyrank quietly, as he rubbed his chin. "All these drawings.. they point to the same type of event"  
"Birds attacking a horned creature," nodded Roldin thoughtfully. Leroy sighed and looked around. The place they stood in was totally deserted, but yet it didn't feel empty at all. Melocrie would have loved this place, he thought by himself. The suddenly, as his eyes slit over the walls, he noticed a strange type of drawing and he instantly froze. It was the drawing of a symbol, a mark that had been showed to all during history. The symbol of the Midranda. Leroy slowly walked to the wall and lay his hand on it, as he gazed up with open mouth. "What in the name of...?" gasped Dylane, as he saw what Leroy was looking at. "It can't be"  
"What is it?" asked Urani and turned, but his eyes grew wide as well.  
Eventually, everyone had gathered around Leroy and stared up the wall, at the blood red painting of a circle with many lines crossing each other, all together forming the same horned creature as on the other paintings. "It's the mark of Midranda," muttered Tyrank. "Though something's different about it. It's less aggressive... somehow it seems so elegant." "Of course!" breathed Leroy. "This place belongs to the Falcorra, it's so obvious"  
"What?" frowned Urani.  
"He's right!" said Dylane. "That horned creature is...Midranda. The Falcorra fought with him, remember"  
"It's too long ago for me to remember," shrugged Debhora. "But I know what you mean. The outcome of that battle has been lost from history. No one knows the real facts"  
"All we know is that the Gods locked the beast up in the end," said Roldin, thinking. "With a magical seal"  
"So.. this is Melocrie's home?" asked Kayleigh as she turned and examined the ruined village. "Is this where she's from"  
"This is where she ascends from," nodded Leroy. "Ray wanted us to see this place"  
"But why?" wondered Cage. "What is it that we should know"  
For a moment there was silence in which everyone thought hard, and Leroy kept staring at the paintings around, wondering what was going on. He felt that something was moving, something big and they were failing to see what it was. But then he suddenly began to realise and his turned back to the Midranda on the wall, while sweat broke free and slowly dripped from his face. "Impossible..." he breathed quietly.  
Tyrank looked up, as did the others.  
"What's impossible?" asked Dylane carefully.  
But then Cage's eyes grew wider as well and his heart started to pound, as his mouth fell open while he stared at the painting. "No.. it can't be"  
"What?" asked Kayleigh, as she became a little frightened. "What's wrong"  
"Yiro..." muttered Leroy and turned to the others, swallowing to recover himself. "How did Yiro escape from the dungeon? The skeleton that disappeared from the Cursed Land... to what did it belong"  
Suddenly it hit Tyrank and he stared at Leroy, as if they both had gone mad. "The Beast will return..." he breathed slowly. Dylane looked at Urani who looked back, while Roldin stared at Cage and Leroy still couldn't keep his eyes off the wall. Kayleigh struggled for she began to understand, but she really didn't want to. Fear grabbed her heart as she looked up at Debhora, who's eyes seemed frightened as well. "We must tell Ray..." whispered Tyrank eventually and raised his head to the others. "We must go, now"  
No one said a word, but they all agreed and nodded. They just had feelings, guesses, but they were too strong to be denied. If the Beast had indeed returned, Priston's fate would already be crumbling. The party hastily made their way back up to the surface and the sinking sun greeted them goodnight, as neither of them were able to move at the first minute. They stared at each other for some time, before Tyrank took the lead and they moved out, back to Ruinen, back to Pillai.

Fylla moved overhead when she saw about eight people moving south from the Forest of Spirits. She recognized their faces, but the energies they released seemed somehow different. Suddenly the bird make a weird movement and she flinched at a stabbing pain in her chest. Fylla cried out and struck down on top of a ruined pillar to take a breath. What was going on? Tyrank and the others passed her by, without looking up and that's when Fylla understood something bad was going to happen. The note she bore with her contained some bad news, but the news Tyrank would bring back to Pillai would be even worse. Fylla shivered at the mere memory of her ancestors and their greatest enemy and it didn't seem lost and forgotten at all. She was sure about it, definitely sure; Priston's worst fear was about to come true.

"Hurry!" Roldin motioned all to pass through the Warpgate, as large grey clouds grew nearer from the distance. "We can't let that storm catch us"  
"It's miles away," frowned Kayleigh, as Dylane took her by the hand and they went through the portal.  
Leroy and Cage vanished through too, followed by Debhora and Cage. Tyrank joined Roldin and gazed up at the sky, a deep wrinkle crossing his forehead.  
"That storm is unnatural," he said to the Lunan. "It will follow us to Pillai"  
"It's Yiro," replied Roldin through clenched teeth. "It's an attack. We must warn Ray immediately"  
"Then let's go," said Tyrank final and stepped up the platform of the Warpgate, with Roldin following closely.

Daemon gasped while he watched the dark clouds passing rapidly overhead to the north-west, while he and Lenaen arrived in Navisko through the Warpgate. The people of the city gazed up too and were muttered too each other, while Tim came to meet them.  
"Welcome back," he said and smiled. "How did it go"  
Lenaen went a little pale, but tried to restrain himself. "I need to speak with Beam"  
"Oh." Tim seemed to understand immediately and nodded. "Of course, he's at the Bellatra square. Whoa, Daemon, you look different"  
Daemon grinned broadly and Tim made him turn round for a better look.  
"Nice," said the fighter. "You're already startin' to look like a warrior"  
A strange sort of happiness swelled up in Daemon's chest and he and Lenaen followed Tim over the great stairway. On top of it, Lenaen turned slowly and watched the sky again, while a group of ravens followed the dark clouds out of sight. Whatever it was, it was bad news, Lenaen knew. He just hoped their people wouldn't get involved.

"Come quickly," said Ray, as soon as the party arrived in Pillai. "We shall go to my quarters and discuss these clouds"  
"You've seen them already?" asked Urani surprised, as they were all motioned over the bridge.  
"Our watchers have strong eyes," answered Ray and then suddenly he looked up, toward the south. "There comes Fylla"  
"Fylla?" gasped Kayleigh and turned to see as well. "Where"  
"She will arrive soon," said Ray. "Now make haste"  
The people of Pillai watched them puzzled as the party passed them by, but Ray made gestures at them not to wonder. He himself was the last one to enter his house and he shut the door behind him, before running to the window to open it for Fylla. Finally he sat down and made the others to do the same, while a gentil maid made them all something to drink.  
"Tell me what you saw," said Ray, as he took a glass of wine. "What has happened"  
"Erm.. well," started Dylane and looked at the others. "We figured you had seen it yourself already"  
Ray slowly shook his head. "That place is guarded by magic and I cannot cross it. I am not an enemy of the Falcorra, but neither am I their friend and only friends can enter there"  
"And we are friends of..." nodded Urani, but then stopped and smiled.  
"It was an underground village," said Tyrank, as he leaned a little forward to start his story. "It was ruined and aged, though not destroyed. A beautiful place in a way, covered with ancient paintings of their history"  
"We think the Falcorra fought the Midranda tribe," continued Debhora. "For the drawings show falcons fighting a horned creature"  
"A horned creature?" asked Ray and his voice sounded thoughtfully. "The Beast," said Roldin carefully and swallowed. "Midranda. It was drawn on the wall"  
"Sir..." said Leroy, as Ray seemed to take this information as a hit. "Who were the Falcorra really"  
"A side-branch of the Midranda," sighed Ray and put his glass down on the table. "They did not wish to join Majok's side, but the Midranda themselves did"  
"Did they go into hiding?" wondered Kayleigh. "Is that why the village was underground"  
"Could be..." answered Ray and scratched his forehead under his hood.  
"But if that is so," said Dylane. "then there must be more villages around Priston"  
"I am sure there are," said Ray. "But they are not found easily. I discovered this one by accident, on one of my walks"  
Leroy's mind wondered off, but then quickly shook his head to stay focused. "But first things first," he said and sharpened his throat. "What about those clouds"  
"Evil," said Ray grimly. "Coming to disturb our peace"  
"Is it Yiro?" asked Cage. Ray nodded and this made the party shiver.  
"What do we do now?" said Kayleigh a little panicked. "We cannot fight him"  
"But I will," growled Dylane and thought of Melocrie. "He's not getting out of here alive"  
"Don't be reckless," warned Tyrank. "You'd throw your life away"  
"But I should "  
Dylane startled and wasn't able to finish, when something suddenly shot inside through the window and landed clumsily on the table. Feathers were shattered as Fylla cried out painfully and tried to stand up straight. Everyone immediately knelt down by the table and tried to calm the kestrel, but it Ray who took her in his arms.  
"Please ease yourself," he muttered and stroke Fylla's feathers. "You must calm down"  
The kestrel struggled for a short moment, but then started to relaxed. Eventually she lay her head on Ray's arm and looked at the others from the corners of her eyes, which seemed weary. Ray carefully released her a bit and took the note off her paw. As Fylla stroke down to the ground and rested by the fire, Ray opened the piece of paper and read it. When he had finished, he stared at it for a moment and then passed it on to Tyrank, who began to read it out loud.

"I am not sure if anyone will ever receive this or if this will ever be read. But if it happens, I am desperately calling for help. The lights in the streets are going out and soon those in our hearts will be burned out too. The shadows that roam here are putting all the lights to a rest and soon we shall all live in darkness.

They are mean men and they're always talking to a silhouette anywhere in a mirror. It gives them orders and pleases them, but in words I can barely understand. It said something about two enemies opposing him, even though those two are not friends. The ice of our lands will melt soon if help does not come!

I pray the best for my dear brother, who was taken by these shadows. My feelings tell me he is alright and I wish I could get a confirmation. Whoever you are, please look out for him. His name is Daemon and I am Farrah, his little sister.

Please, I beg of you, whoever reads this. We need help, we cannot hold out much longer. Our heartily candles are going out, one by one. Soon there will be no more light in Eura, in the east or in all of Priston. If the ice melts we will all die. Please help us!"

A complete silence fell in which Tyrank stared at the others when he finished, and they all stared back at him. Eventually all heads turned to Ray, who sat back on his couch with one hand to his chin, probably thinking. Even Fylla had lifted her head and waited for an answer, but it didn't come. Instead, they were all suddenly shocked when a yell sounded from outside and a loud thundering filled the air. Tyrank and Roldin jumped to their feet and ran to the door, followed by Dylane, Urani, Cage and Leroy. Debhora and Kayleigh stared at Ray, who sat still and silent as a rock.  
"Look out!" screamed a young man as he ran past the house.  
"What's going on?" yelled Tyrank, as they watched the people running around into all directions.  
"People of Pillai!" roared Urani and raised his staff. "Calm yourselves"  
This seemed to help, for most people stood their grounds, thought still breathing heavily, watching the sky. The sun had been completely overshadowed and a strong wind descended down in circles. Kayleigh and Debhora stepped outside as well, with Fylla joining them, as two winged angels stroke down onto the ground near the fountain. One was a cold as ice, while one blacker than shadow. All hearts pounded and breaths were taken away, when a vicious man descended down with them, holding a statue of grey stone caught in a rope of energy.  
"Melocrie!" shouted Dylane and wanted to run forward, but Tyrank stopped him.  
"Yiro..." growled Leroy through clenched teeth. "Give me back my daughter"  
"Silence!" shouted Yiro and his voice sounded insane. "I am here to bring her back"  
"What?" Leroy startled, but tried to remain solid. "This cursed power," yelled Yiro to all the people, "is preventing me from destroying her"  
He released the statue and it landed softly on the ground, while Yiro lifted his sword and gathered his energy. Then he screamed out and struck it with all his might, as he had done before.  
"No!" yelled Tyrank, but was suddenly shocked when Yiro's blade cracked as soon as it touched the stone.  
The Koltan stood in his tracks breathing with a monstrous look on face, as angry as the sky itself seemed to be. Slowly the party got back the holds of themselves, but their courage didn't exactly grow. No one dared to say a word and they all waited, while the angels beside the Koltan brought shivers over their backs. Leroy watched his petrified daughter with great longing, but knew he couldn't just run to her.  
"You're giving her back?" he dared to say eventually and immediately wished he had said it more carefully.  
"I am," spat Yiro. "For I cannot destroy her, therefore she is useless"  
Tyrank growled softly, for those words angered him greatly. But the man who stood before him in person brought rage into his chest, a rage which was very hard to control. He felt Roldin tensing beside him and really hoped that the Lunan would be able to restrain himself.  
"This is not Midranda magic!" shouted Yiro. "This is different, I cannot break it! The Midranda's magic cursed her, but another is protective. You can have her, to look at her and grieve, knowing you cannot ever get her back." Then he grinned and lifted his hand, which his angels followed as they lifted up from the ground. Yiro climbed onto the dark one's back and laughed loudly. "But I shall not leave you unharmed"  
"What are you going to do?" yelled Roldin as hard as he could, and it seemed Tyrank's fear had come true. "You cannot curse us more than you have cursed yourself"  
Yiro's smile fainted and instantly turned to the Lunan. A force of energy gathered up in his palm and he shot it down, directly at Roldin, who refused to move. Tyrank's fear rose greatly as the energy came closer, but still the Lunan didn't move a muscle and even Dylane cried him to run. Screams sounded all around when the energy hit its goal and a fierce light covered all sight. Tyrank screamed out too and the hard wind swirled around them, as it felt like an abyss had opened beneath their feet. Finally the light faded and all heads turned up with stabbing hearts, with eyes that widened by the sight of it.  
It was Fylla, Melocrie's kestrel that had blocked Yiro's magic with her own. She floating steadily in the air with a golden glow around her as a ball, while Roldin stood behind her in shock, with sweat running down his face.  
"By Pritos!" muttered the people and started pointing. "Roldin!" yelled Tyrank and grabbed the Lunan by the shoulders to shake him. "What in the name of the Gods were you thinking"  
"I..." started Roldin and swallowed. "I didn't want to run from him again"  
"My, you..." growled Tyrank, but eventually he smiled relieved. "Then next time don't run from him, but do it for me"  
Roldin shrugged and smiled as well, a little ashamed for causing them to worry.  
"Look!" said Kayleigh all of a sudden and ran forward. "Melocrie"  
"Oh!" gasped Dylane, when he saw the statue. "Melocrie"  
Yiro had gone together with his angels, and even the sky was slowly clearing. Melocrie's statue was surrounded by all the people, either crying, cheering or remaining silent. Tyrank softly touched the stone and managed a smile, though sadness was more that he felt.  
"He gave her back..." said Urani puzzled. "I wonder why"  
"He said why," answered Tyrank. "So we can grieve with the feeling of helplessness"  
Leroy looked sideways at Tyrank, for he felt that it was true already, but decided not to say anything. Debhora and Kayleigh's smiled fainted too as the minutes went by and eventually Ray came outside his house, still silently and steadily. After a while, the party noticed and joined with him, but waited for Ray himself to say something. Eventually he did and heaved a great sigh, while examining Fylla floating over their heads.  
"The Midranda and the Falcorra..." he muttered. "Somehow they cannot be compared. Neither's magic is greater than the other, but they are far too different and yet the same"  
"They are born from the same sort," replied Kayleigh quietly. "That's why they cannot harm each other"  
"But they can overcome," said Ray, a little warning. "Even without harming"  
"Yiro's not up against the Falcorra," said Cage. "But neither is it the other way around. One magic cannot break the other, right"  
"But it can overcome?" asked Debhora and frowned. "So... Fylla could stop Yiro's energy, but she couldn't have defeated him"  
"That's correct," nodded Ray. "And Yiro's magic cannot break Melocrie, for she is protected by Falcorra magic"  
"I see..." muttered Tyrank and looked back at the statue. "But we still remain with the same then... We cannot bring her back either"  
"Then Yiro was right after all," said Dylane sadly and sighed. "We're left with grieve of helplessness." 


	7. HellPhoeniX

Pristontale: The Eye of Midranda Chapter G - Hellphoenix ----------------------------------------

Navisko was swarming with warriors, late that afternoon, while Daemon watched Lenaen and Bazz at work. They were trying to keep everyone in line as their people entered the city, over the great stairway and toward the Bellatra. Its doors would open to them and Navisko's people were preparing all kinds of provisions and constantly asked them if they needed anything else. Daemon saw that Lenaen and his people truly appreciated it, but he himself would rather have this to be over. He was getting more impatient by the minute and wondered when he could finally sit back down and relax, with maybe a large mug of beer in his hand.  
A few meters away stood Tim, talking intensly with a strange man. The looks of him made Daemon's impatience slip away and replaced it with curiosity. The conversation seemed pretty serious, by the looks on the their faces. But it was the strange man itself that drew most of Daemon's attention.  
He looked completely different from Lenaen's people. Not only were the marks on his face different, but his clothing and style of weapons too. While he stood there he was holding a banner, with the same weaponshield on it as Daemon had seen on top of Navisko's gate: a moon and a wolverine.  
"Daemon?" Daemon startled and turned, smiling up at Lenaen.  
"You coming too?" the mage asked.  
"Of course!" said Daemon and glanced back one last time at Tim and the strange man, before following Lenaen up the great stairway.  
The mage stopped suddenly on top and turned, watching the sun's last beams disappear from the horizon.  
"Daemon..." he said quietly, without looking down.  
"Hm?" said Daemon absently, but restrained himself when he saw Lenaen's face. "What is it"  
"Do you..." Lenaen stopped for a second and then sighed. "Do you miss the Ice Lands"  
"What?" Daemon frowned. Why was he bringing this up now? "I guess so." "Because I do." Lenaen heaved a deep sigh and smiled. "One day we will get them back and then it will be our home again"  
Then the mage turned again and descended down the stairs. Daemon still stood where he was, gazing after him, feeling a dreading cold surrounding himself. He indeed missed the Ice Lands, his home. But there was a positive sparkle in it all and Daemon smiled. Lenaen said they would get back those lands and go home. That meant that Daemon would be able to go home too. Good, he thought. If their way leads me to home, then I will follow them.

There were so many people, Daemon couldn't believe it. Hundreds of warriors, almost in an equal number as in Ricarten, were swarming around on the square in front of the Bellatra, all eager to go in. Beam stood by the great doors with Bazz by his side, who was holding a warhorn in one hand. Lenaen signed to Daemon to stay where he was, and went to join Beam himself. Daemon stayed and looked around, amazed by the power that surrounded the warriors. He felt he fitted in a little bit, being dressed as a young warrior himself. He saw weapons and armors he had never seen before, not even in Ricarten, and many had strange glows among them.  
Suddenly the muttering and talking were all silenced by the sound of the warhorn, and Daemon stood on his toes to see what was happening. His mouth fell open when he saw a huge black banner rising above all heads, with a great and splendid phoenix painted on it. It seemed that Lenaen was holding it and all heads turned toward Beam, and Daemon frowned at the looks on everyone's faces. They were all straight, concentrated, in a way in which he had never seen before.  
"My friends!" Beam called out to the crowd. "Navisko has opened the gates for us, as our refuge. In time we will pay them back properly, for their kindness and generosity"  
Daemon couldn't help but listening closely as well, but then noticed Tim and the other strange man joined them from behind.  
"Today are dark days," Beam continued. "But we will stand through. Let's begin by sleeping well and safely tonight. Open the gates"  
"I may select five people who may open the doors for us," said Lenaen after Beam. "You all deserve the honor, but there are a few who we owe this. Please step up when you hear your name.  
"Wayne!" A strong man, rather young and with short, spiked hair stepped forward. "Pitar!" This was a young one too, with a beautiful blue cloak swooping behind him. "Nympha!" A middle-aged lady, with long yellow hair and a large javelin on her back.  
"Bahek!" This one was older and as giant as a rock and a face so cold, it gave Daemon the shivers.  
"And finally, Daemon"  
It took a moment for it to occur to him, but then Daemon was startled by the mention of his name. Did he hear that correctly? He looked around surprised and then turned to Tim, who winked at him and motioned him to go. Daemon had no clue what to do next, but then remembered he should step forward. Carefully he put his one foot forward and then walked through the crowd to the front, to join the others. Lenaen grinned at his stupefied expression and then stepped aside, signing to Bazz. He nodded at the mage and brought the horn back to his mouth, blowing hard. Immediately the selected warriors began pushing the doors with all their might, but Daemon only stood there watching it. Eventually Lenaen knocked him softly in the back and Daemon moved, pushing the doors with all the strength he had in him. Suddenly the doors moved with a shock and flew open, followed by a wave of cheers from the crowd. The warriors Wayne, Pitar and Nympha smiled down at Daemon, who broadly smiled back. But Bahek didn't turn or look at all, he just walked straight through the doors and entered the Bellatra.  
"After you," said Pitar to Daemon, who grinned as broadly as he could.  
Daemon looked back at the crowd and couldn't resist his happiness.  
"Let's go in!" he shouted and was more than delighted when everyone answered it with loud cheers.  
Then he smiled at Lenaen and ran through the doors, past Bahek and into the Bellatra, while the stream of people followed closely behind.

The Bellatra was enormous and breathtaking. A splendid hall with high walls, covered with torches and painted symbols. The people of Navisko had already set down furniture for them and were now coming to bring lots of food and drinks. Daemon had settled himself on a fine chair with his desired mug of beer, and glanced around as everyone was in motion. Most were unpacking their things, others were just celebrating and laughing, and some were actually battling a little bit. Lenaen stood by Tim talking to that strange outsider and Daemon couldn't keep his eyes off him. He truly wondered who he was and where he came from, as he had done with many other people in Ricarten.  
Suddenly raised voices from behind made Daemon turn in his chair and saw Beam standing in the back, talking to a young boy with blonde hair. He was about Daemon's age, but his attitude wasn't likable. Daemon found the boy arrogant and spoiled, for the way he stood and how he was talking to Beam.  
"How dare you... This is so unfair"  
Beam sighed. "You know why, Tal. So would you calm down"  
"I will not," growled the boy. "Why did he get the open the door instead of me"  
Daemon quickly turned away when the boy pointed at him as he spoke and felt a great dislike swelling up. "That was Lenaen's decision," he heard Beam say. "And he has a perfectly good reason. So please get out of my way and unpack your things"  
Daemon watched Beam passing him from the corners of his eyes, but didn't feel like turning to look at the boy. After a few minutes he past Daemon as well, taking large steps to show his anger. Daemon shrugged and took a gulp from his mug, as he watched the boy disappear outside.  
As his eyes scanned the great hall of the Bellatra, they focused on a strange object between the crowd. He lowered the mug away from his mouth, unconsciously, and frowned. It was a low platform with a pedestal on it, holding a something that had a mystical atmosphere about it. Though it seemed like a normal hourglass, it was quite large and beautifully crafted. Daemon took another gulp and put away his mug on the small table next to him, standing to his feet.  
Lenaen watched him as Daemon moved toward the pedestal and stopped when he was very close. He tilted his head a bit as a strange feeling overcame him, as if it was something familiar. But when he stretched out his hand toward the hourglass, he was awoken from his daydream by Lenaen's voice.  
"Don't," said the mage and joined by Daemon's side.  
"What?" said Daemon and frowned. "What is this"  
"The Hourglass of Destiny," Lenaen said quietly.  
"Oh right," gasped Daemon and slowly turned back to the pedestal. "The one that "  
"- that trapped the Child of the Gods into stone." Lenaen shrugged. "Tricky kind of magic. No one has a clue how to break the curse"  
"Can't you just destroy it?" said Daemon. "Destroy the source and you destroy the magic, right"  
Lenaen laughed a little sinister. "Go ahead and try it"  
Daemon frowned and examined the hourglass. Then he drew his sword and grabbed it tightly, while his mouth was dry. The talking and muttering from around stopped and Daemon was very well aware that all eyes turned on him. Yet he tried to stay focused as he raised his sword and noticed the people were standing back. What was he thinking? Nothing at all. Someone else seemed to be pulling the strings as Daemon smashed his sword onto the hoursglass, but then screamed when he was thrown back hard. He landed on the cold floor on his back and moaned as he tried to sit up. His sword lay a meter away, covered in a red glow which was slowly fading. When it had disappeared, Daemon stared up the pedestal with open mouth and desperately wondered what had just happened.  
"Are you alright?" Lenaen asked after a while and helped Daemon to his feet.  
Everyone else seemed to be lifting their shoulders and went back to work, as if nothing unusual had happened. Daemon stared up at Lenaen and wanted to ask something, but he could find no words. Someone was handing his sword back to him and Daemon saw it was Tim, who had a serious frown in his forehead.  
"Don't do that again," he said and sighed.  
"But..." Daemon stammered. "What... How"  
"Magic," said Lenaen simply. "Midranda magic. This hourglass is not the source. The Midranda is"  
Daemon heaved a sigh to pull himself together and tried to fight his anger swelling up. Why did Lenaen let him do that? "Don't worry," said Tim and turned to walk away. "There is no way"  
Don't worry? Daemon puzzled as Tim left them and put the sword back in its sheath. "So, turning this hourglass won't help either"  
"It would," said Lenaen. "That is the normal curse. But who is willing to turn it"  
Daemon didn't answer, for he himself was surely not willing to. He looked around at the people and decided no one was. He looked back at Lenaen, who nodded and walked away. Daemon sighed and went back to his chair, but was suddenly stopped by someone in his path. It was the blonde boy who had been talking to Beam earlier.  
"Didn't work, huh?" he grinned. "Never thought someone was that stupid to actually try"  
Daemon growled and held himself back. "People who don't try are cowards"  
The boy's grin faded. "People who can't succeed are weaklings," he spat back.  
"Well then," Daemon shrugged. "I opened the doors and you didn't. So you can decide who the weakling is"  
With those words he went to sit back in his chair, sinking away and watched how the boy walked away, obviously insulted. Daemon smiled satisfied and took his mug back, gulping it away.

Night now came and Pillai grew ever darker, maturing the gloominess in the streets. Tyrank watched the stars as his thoughts were deep, the same as Dylane, who sat on the fountain nearby. Roldin had left for Navisko hours ago, to see what was new there. His people should be informed and he would rather do it personally than to send Fylla to do it.  
Tyrank held Fylla's last letter tightly in his hand as he heaved a deep sigh, which made Dylane look his way.  
"What's wrong"  
"Nothing," said Tyrank. "Just tired"  
"Hm..." Dylane shrugged. "Cloudy times, huh"  
"Yup," sighed Tyrank. "Cloudy times"  
"We'll come up with something." Dylane stood up and joined Tyrank's side. "At least we have Melocrie back"  
"No, we don't. We have her statue"  
"Oh, come on, Tyrank," said Dylane and frowned. "Try to stay positive now"  
"I'd rather stay realistic." Tyrank turned and looked Dylane deep in the eyes. "We have to wait for Roldin to bring more news and I can hardly wait any longer. You know a shadow is upon us and it might destroy us all if we don't stop it. But we don't know what it is and so we can't do anything right now. That just frustrates me"  
"I know," said Dylane and nodded. "It's all one big blur. I don't get it"  
"Me neither." Tyrank laughed and turned back to the stars. "Me neither..."

The celebration was still going on, as Daemon sat on the steps of the great stairway, gazing at the moon above their heads. They were not allowed to cross over, for on the other side monsters were roaming Navisko. It was a weird feeling to know that the citizens were under a horrible curse, just on the other side of the steps, while they sat near the Bellatra, celebrating and having a good time. Tim had said there was nothing they could do, so that they might as well not try to. But Daemon's own words from before, that people who don't try are cowards, made him a little confused. Meanwhile, Lenaen had told him a lot about the people he was with now, a guild called Hellphoenix. Beam was their leader, Lenaen his substitute and Bazz the general. Tim and Wayne were both teachers in battle, while Nympha and a girl called Jill were spell teachers. Pitar was a messenger and a hunter, and Bahek the personal guard and defender. When Daemon asked Lenaen what his own part to play was, the mage had just said he was guest. Daemon would have nothing rather, for being a guest means you can leave. And he did not tend to stay, for he would go home of his chance was there.  
He had not yet shown anyone the map he had bought in Ricarten, for somehow he was afraid to. Afraid that it would be taken from him, while he felt he would need it sometime. He had come to imagine that one of the moving dots was himself, though still he wasn't exactly sure what to think of it. The last time he looked on the map the other moving dot had placed itself on Pillai, a place far away in the north. There seemed to be no connection and with these thoughts Daemon was afraid he wouldn't be able to sleep at all that night.  
On the other side of the square he could Lenaen through the crowd, talking heavily with Beam. Somehow the dislike had sank away and Daemon now began to look up to him. Lenaen had told him that Beam was an orphan, and that the blonde boy named Tal was his little brother. They came from the same mother, though from a different father with different principles, and that make the two of them fight a lot. Lenaen didn't know exactly how Hellphoenix had came into being, for Beam hadn't really told anyone ever. But the mage did know that Beam was once like Daemon, a refuge, drifted away from home. But the time was drawing near that the party should end, and one by one the people of Hellphoenix returned inside the Bellatra. Daemon watched as the square emptied and shivered when the horrible moaning of a Goul sounded from the other side of the stairs. "Are you staying here?" asked Lenaen, as he passed Daemon on the way to the hall.  
"Yeah..." said Daemon and sighed. "But just for a bit longer"  
"Alright." Lenaen smiled wearily. "We're not closing the doors until the moon is right above our heads. Be sure to get inside before then"  
"I will," promised Daemon and watched the mage leave.  
A beautiful night it was, if only it wasn't for those monstrous sounds behind him. And if Daemon thought he had been left alone on the square, he was wrong. Suddenly he noticed someone else in the shadows, on the other side next to the great statue. Daemon focused on it and he was getting cold, without being able to take his eyes of it. Then something red flashed from the darkness, but only for a second and Daemon felt the hairs on his neck raise. A person was moving in the shadows, large and cold, with silver hair swaying into the light every now and then. The figure began to move forth and Daemon tried to stand up, but he couldn't move a muscle. It was like he had been frozen to the steps on which he sat and he feeling more scared by the second. He wanted to draw his sword, rather than to scream, but two piercing red eyes seemed to look right through him. Then a hand came forth, as blue and cold as ice, and finally a body covered with a large, black cloak. The face remained overshadowed and Daemon's eyes grew wider as the figure kept coming closer. His heart pounded like crazy and was shocked when he could hear a whispering voice in his head.  
"I found you"  
Daemon jumped to his feet and drew his sword, and on the same moment the figure shot into his direction and there was nothing he could do.  
But it was stopped, held back by a sudden movement that left a trace of light and wind in the air. The creature from the dark hissed and for a second his face was shown, and the shock knocked Daemon back onto the steps. Then it waved its cloak and disappeared, without a trace, back to the shadows and gone.  
"Are you okay"  
Daemon breathed heavily and tried to stop, but neither could he control the way his heart was rocking. He was still holding his sword tightly as he tried to stand up. Finally he looked up and saw it was the strange man, who had been talking with Tim earlier. His eyes seemed weary and dark, though they showed compassion and great suffering. But Daemon could hardly notice either of these things, from he was swallowing hard to get his nerves back.  
"What..." he started and shivered again. "What in the world was that"  
"A shadow," the man said quietly and patted Daemon on the shoulder to comfort him. "It's gone now"  
Daemon breathed and wiped his forehead with his sleeve. "Thank you..." he stammered and waited for himself to calm to before he put the sword back in its sheath.  
"Come," said the man. "It's not safe right now. Navisko's cursed. Let's go inside"  
Daemon couldn't answer, but nodded and followed the man toward the gate.  
"Wait," he suddenly said and stopped. "What's your name"  
"Roldin," said the man friendly.  
"Thank you, Roldin," said Daemon and smiled.  
He looked back once more to see if they were not being followed by anything at all, and then walked back inside the great hall. But when he waited for Roldin to come inside as well, nothing happened. The strange man was nowhere in sight and Daemon scanned the square with a frown on his face.  
"Boy, leave him be," said a voice from behind, and Daemon turned to see it was Pitar. "He's a member of the Lunan Guild, so he doesn't intend to stay. Just close the doors and get some rest. Daemon didn't reply, but only stared toward the great stairway, while Pitar helped him closing the doors of the Bellatra.

Tyrank paced back and forth past the Warpgate and rubbed his chin. Dylane stood some distance away, also getting rather impatient. Finally a strange wind swelled up and a vivid light appeared from the platform, revealing Roldin in the dark.  
"There you are!" said Tyrank and walked up to him, Dylane also. "So what's the news"  
"Well," said Roldin and scratched the back of his head. "I found him, that boy Daemon"  
"What?" said Dylane unbelieving. "Are you serious? The boy from the letter"  
"Yes," nodded Roldin. "He's in Navisko with Hellphoenix"  
"Who would have thought..." gasped Tyrank. "Did you tell him"  
"No." Roldin sighed. "There was some trouble. An intruder near the Bellatra"  
"Intruder?" Dylane frowned. "Who"  
Roldin shook his head. "I don't know, I can only tell it didn't belong there"  
"So what about your people?" Tyrank asked.  
"They're alright, camped just outside Navisko on the west side. The people of Hellphoenix now reside in the Bellatra"  
"Didn't they live in the east?" asked Dylane.  
Roldin remained silent, but Tyrank noticed his face turning pale, which made a cold shiver run over his back. "What happened, Roldin"  
Roldin heaved a sigh. "Those radicals in the east we heard about? They are called the Disciples and they have taken over the east. I am sure that girl Farrah named them the shadows in her letter"  
"Disciples?" Dylane gasped. "What kind of"  
"Well..." Somehow it seemed hard for Roldin to answer this question, so he swallowed a few times and looked at Tyrank, as straight as he could. "My guesses are... that they are the Disciples of Majok"  
"What...?" Tyrank stepped back and felt as if the ground had literally broken away from beneath his feet.  
Dylane's eyes had grown wide and he felt his own breath increasing, as suddenly the peace of Pillai had been washed away.

Have you ever had the feeling about a situation that you were almost certain of, but afraid to tell others because it might actually come true? A nightmare in your chest, struggling to get free? What about that one ghost from the past hunting you forever, even when you were never there to experience the horrors yourself? What would you do, if this one nightmare breaks free, the ghost returns and all of your fears become reality? Would you run, or would you stand and face it? One thing is for sure: it would be the most hardest decision to make than any at all before.

"How do you know?" Tyrank asked quietly, after a long while of silence.  
"Because..." Roldin swallowed before continuing. "That intruder at the Bellatra... It was the opposite magic of the Midranda. Now, there are two of opposing kinds of magic"  
"The Falcorra..." Dylane muttered. "And.. Majok"  
"And it definitely wasn't one of the Falcorra," said Roldin, with great pain in his chest.  
"But how?" Tyrank wondered and noticed himself panicking a little. "How? I thought the Gods had locked him away"  
"No magic lasts forever..." said Roldin sadly. "The Seals are broken"  
"Both of them...?" Dylane breathed. "Of course... How could we not have seen? But, that means that"  
"They have both returned." Roldin grabbed Dylane's and Tyrank's shoulder tightly, as he heaved a deep breath. "Midranda and Majok"  
"Their War almost destroyed the world once..." said Dylane quietly and cast down his eyes. "I wonder... what is to happen now."

Run, or stand and face your fears?

"We are not alone," said Roldin and nodded to encourage his friends. "We have the Falcorra's strength with us, and that of our own. If Priston unites, there is nothing they can do to harm us"  
"Tomorrow we shall all go to Navisko," said Tyrank and agreed. "We will bring Fylla along, talk to the Lunans and Hellphoenix, explore the desert to the east and do whatever we can to break this magic of the shadows"  
"You make it sound so easy," said Dylane and sighed. "But maybe it is"  
"It's time for action," said Roldin. "Priston belongs to us. Let's keep it that way." 


	8. Midrandos of Majok

Pristontale: The Eye of Midranda Chapter H - Midrandos of Majok ----------------------------------------

The wind swept softly over the desert and waved the soil forth, while larger pebbles were quietly moving and toppling over. One shadow after the other crossed the land with the wind, but they somehow never touched the ground. Their invisible feet floated only inches from the ground, as their torn, black coats swayed through the air without a sound. Not even birds cleared the sky with their lullabies of the night, and somewhere a creature hid behind a rock to clear the path of these shadows. The moon seemed to be so less brighter and the night so much darker. And while the wind swept forward, it moved with the rhythm of a beating drum, a hallow sound from behind the mountains. It started quietly at first, softly beating the pebbles on the floor up and down. But soon the ground itself began to shake with every beat, a sound that could shatter both bone and flesh. Daemon's dreams were horrible that night, for somehow blood red eyes flashed through his head, belonging to a creature in the shadows. The outside walls of the Bellatra were also drenched with blood, and the air filled with horrible screams. Then suddenly his vision passed deserts and a valley of metal, and only stopped when the ground had entirely gone white. There he saw a little girl running through the snow on her bear feet, leaving no footprints behind. Her feet were moving with the beating of a drum, its sound getting closer and louder. Then the girl stopped and screamed as she looked forward, and Daemon screamed as well, when all ice suddenly turned into fire.  
"Daemon"  
A familiar voice, one Daemon was happy to hear. He tried his ultimate best to open his eyes, but the fire before him stayed as clear as crystal. Suddenly all warmth was drawn from him and he shot awake from his sleep, as Tim had emptied a bucket of water on him.  
"What..?" Daemon stammered bewildered and dried his face with his sleeve. "What is this all about"  
"Hush!" muttered Tim and then walked away again.  
Daemon frowned after him and turned his head, seeing Lenaen sitting beside him.  
"What's going on?" Daemon moaned and sat up straight.  
"We don't know," the mage said and his face looked puzzled.  
Daemon wanted to yawn, but he was stopped by the freezing of his heart. Somewhere in the far distance he could hear the hallow sound of a drum, making the walls and ground shake with each beat. In his thoughts he could see his sister running again, but then quickly shook his head to get the images out. He turned his face toward the great doors, which were only opened by a few feet. People were walking in and out all the time, but all remaining quiet at the same time. They seemed to be in a hurry, and when Daemon's eyes were more used to the awareness, they also seemed afraid.  
"Put your gear on," said Lenaen, while standing up. "And follow me. But be very quiet"  
Daemon didn't hesitate for a second and quickly got up, putting on his armor and equipment. His boots were a pain in the neck, but Lenaen patiently waited until the boy was ready. Then Daemon followed the mage through the doors and outside, holding his hand lightly upon his blade, ready to grab it if necessary.  
Outside half the people of Hellphoenix stood staring at the sky, many holding torches in their hands to lit up the darkness. Daemon turned his face to the moonlight and was somehow annoyed that its light was only a vague dot in the heaven. Lenaen led him through the people and to the front, where Beam stood whispering with Bazz. "Any news?" Lenaen muttered at the pike, as he lit the top of his staff with a bright light.  
"We sent scouts over the stairway to investigate Navisko's state," said Beam quietly. "So far has been reported that there's no sign of the monsters"  
"How is that possible?" Lenaen looked at Bazz and slowly shuck his head. "They haven't transformed"  
"No, they are in hiding," said Bazz and glanced over his shoulder toward the stairs. "Something is scaring them off"  
Daemon tried to listen closely, but the shaking ground and the distant drum pierced his mind like needle, making it so much harder to focus. With every beat a shiver ran over his spine and he swallowed a few times while gazing at the sky beyond the stairway. Suddenly two shades appeared on top of the stairs, descending with caution in the light of a torch. As they got closer, Daemon saw it was Tim and Pitar, hurrying toward them quietly.  
"Report," said Beam to them as they reached them, and took over the torch.  
"Shadows," panted Pitar and tried to swallow, while Tim patted him on the shoulder. "The shadows are coming"  
Both of them were breathing heavily and somehow Daemon couldn't help but thinking of his sister. The shadows, the fire, her screams.  
"By the love of the Gods..." muttered Beam and then silence fell.  
Daemon looked up at Lenaen, who's face had darkened in spite of the light from his staff, and wondered if all this wasn't just a nightmare. The drums became louder and the wind started to howl, while suddenly the last bit of light from the moon faded. A hallow screech sounded from beyond the city walls, which made them all jump and Beam quickly turned to his people.  
"Everyone prepare!" he shouted. "The shadows are coming! Tal!" The boy with the blonde hair, Beam's brother, came running to him, wearing an oversized armor and a large sword.  
"Tal," said Beam. "I want you to stay inside the Bellatra"  
Daemon shrugged and carefully looked sideways at the boy, waiting for the outburst. And it came.  
"What?" shouted the boy angrily. "You can't leave me behind, I want to fight"  
"You will get hurt," said Beam, and pointed at the doors. "Wait inside for our return"  
"You never have faith in me!" the boy continued to shout. "You never let me do anything! I hate you"  
Then he turned around and ran away, his armor rattling even louder than the drum. Lenaen looked at Beam as if to wait for a comment, but Beam just stared back at him and then drew his sword. Daemon had watched the boy ran away and was highly annoyed by his behaviour. Stop being a baby, he thought. And grow up.

Drums. Drums beyond the distance and a screech that follows. The banners on the city walls swayed on the wind, which turned more into a stagger with each drum. The streetlamps had all died out, one by one, and the only light remaining came from over fifty torches, moving through the gate onto the wasteland in the east. The sound of a horn reflected against the steep slopes of the mountains surrounding the small path toward the desert. A small number of flags showing a burning phoenix raised above the heads of a hundred warriors, their armors rattling softly which each step.  
Daemon swallowed as he felt very anxious, and tried not to glance too much at the people beside him. Once he had looked at Beam, who was just staring ahead of him at the darkness. Lenaen had looked back once with a vague smile, which Daemon didn't find highly encouraging.  
Once more the horn sounded and suddenly the pace of the drum quickened and Daemon could swear he saw something moving ahead of him. He stopped dead in his tracks, but was motioned forward again by the people behind him. "Halt," Beam suddenly said and raised his hand, while many others behind him raised theirs.  
When the sound of all their footsteps had stopped, Bazz blew the horn once again and suddenly a vague muttering appeared from ahead. Daemon swallowed and was startled by the noise of steel, while everyone around him drew their weapons. He did so too and tried not to hesitate, trying to find thoughts to encourage himself. He still had no idea what was going on, he only knew that something was approaching them. All he wanted to do at the moment was to go home, to see his sister.  
And then it hit him. These shadows were the ones that claimed Eura for its own, who hurt the people there and now they were coming for more. "Home..." he muttered and Lenaen looked down at him, but Daemon didn't notice. "Clear my path to home"  
Lenaen stared at the boy for a while and then smiled, turning his face forward again.  
Suddenly there it was, a figure just ahead of them. It appeared out of nowhere and softly swept its way toward them. Daemon's breath stopped and tried to step back, but his body remained motionless. It came closer on the beating of the drum and then it stopped, just a few feet away from Beam, and abruptly the drumming stopped, while the echo of the last beat died away. For a moment there was nothing but silence and the figure raised his arms, taking the hood off his head, revealing a scarred face with red eyes, with the most evil grin Daemon had ever seen. His black hair was a thick as see-weed and as long as Lenaen's, which softly swept on the wind, weightless. A Disciple, Daemon knew. "It is Hellphoenix..." muttered its voice and Daemon leaped a little, feeling frozen all over. "The bird has flown right into our cage"  
"Who are you?" Beam shouted to interrupt the shadow. "And what do you want?" The tension of muscles started all around and Daemon tried to swallow his fears away. This creature before him was the most frightening thing he had ever seen, even in his worse nightmares.  
The shadow grinned to reveal his blazing white teeth and released a horrible chuckling. "I am Hamja and we have come for the Midrandos of Majok," said he and raised his head a little, while more shadows appeared from behind him. "Word has said he can be found among your people"  
"The Midrandos of Majok...?" Beam glanced over his shoulder, but could see that all of his people were as puzzled as he. Surely if the Midrandos was with them, he would know about it?  
Daemon carefully looked sideways to Lenaen, who's gaze seemed to be the only one faced ahead. Yet Daemon could see he was sweating for some reason.  
"No?" All attention returned to the shadow called Hamja once again, as his chuckling continued. "Well... if you will not hand him in, I will just have to find him, won't I"  
"What are you gonna do?" shouted Tim over the crowd. "There's no Midrandos here. Go back to the shadows where you all came from and wait there for our blades to pierce you through!" Daemon knew Tim had pushed some buttons, and the shadow's chuckling suddenly changed into a laughter, a laughter pleasured by many great pains.  
"You silly boy," he hackled. "Do you honestly think the Great Majok would be mistaken in this"  
"What are you talking about"  
This time it was Lenaen who spoke, stepping forward with his lightened staff.  
"Majok is gone, the Gods defeated him over a hundred years ago"  
"There is a Midrandos in Priston." Then Hamja's smile vanished, while the other shadows behind him advanced further forward. "Two of them in fact. One of them we need for our master to rejoin us... And the second one will be annihilated"  
"What?" said Beam, but before he knew it a shadow had swept its way very close to him, and raised softly on the wind to his height.  
"A mere bird cannot challenge the lion..." Hamja continued, as the other shadow was now face to face with Beam. "And no army of Priston can challenge the Great Majok"  
On that moment Daemon wanted to scream, for the shadow had somehow grabbed Beam's face with its see-through hand, who was yelling out in horror. Immediately the crowd around them moved and Lenaen raised his staff, piercing the shadow with its light. It squealed for a moment and then roughly pulled back his hand, swaying back over the sand to his master. Beam moaned on his shaking legs and then fell to the floor, releasing the flag of the phoenix into the dust. Quickly Lenaen and Tim kneeled down to help him, but Daemon could not move by the horrible chuckling that filled the silence again. "Midrandos is here," Hamja said horrifying. "And we know who he is. We will take him, with our without your resistance"  
For a moment nobody said a word and it was clear that Hamja was waiting for any possible response. While Tim still held Beam in his arms, Lenaen stood up very carefully, not taking his eyes off the shadows before him. Hamja's red eyes flickered in the light of the torches and suddenly they moved, and Daemon froze as they rested on him.  
It all happened far too fast, for one moment the shadows stood only but a few meters away, but suddenly they had approached to right in front of him. Daemon had stepped back in utter fear, but fell down when he tripped over Bazz's foot. A horrible hand with green long nails, drenched with blood had been only an inch away from his face, before Lenaen had covered him, raising his staff in anger. The yellow light on its ball grew green and a beam sprang out, piercing right through the hand and Hamja's chest. The shadows shrieked and backed away, but Hamja stayed, only examining the mage with his blood red eyes. A blue and white kind of arrow shot through the sky, softly zooming through the wind, hitting the master shadow right in the forehead. Hamja shrieked like he had never felt any pain before and swayed back, grabbing his face with both claws. A young knight approached them from behind, his blade shining even brighter than the torches. He was followed by two older men, one of them with a darker skin and heavily scarred. It took a long moment for Daemon to notice he had seen the other man before, at the end of the celebration at the Bellatra.  
The three warriors stopped between Lenaen and the shadow, panting, while pointing their weapons ahead of them. None of them said a word, but waited patiently for the shadow to back further away. Finally Hamja removed his claws from his face, but his eyes weren't the same. No nightmare from anyone could describe what they looked like. For a second he released a horrible hissing and even the moon seemed the shiver, before he turned away and vanished in the desert, his minions closely behind. Daemon could see the faces of the strange warriors as they turned around, but then his vision blackened and the muttering faded, while he felt the sun's first beams of morning touch his face.

Two red eyes were laughing, but they did not belong to a creature with a black and see-through skin. Its skin was blue, colder than ice, and its eyes sprang out like white on black. Long locks of hair fading from white to grey moved like serpents, as the face suddenly faded to make room for an other. It was even less human than the last, a long snout with great yellow teeth, and the absence of eyes left black holes in its skull. It hissed for a moment, then growled and suddenly it backed away, revealing the image of a golden hourglass. Daemon noticed he reached out his hand to it, but no matter how he reached, he could not touch it. A sweet laughter sounded through his head, obviously belonging to a girl and it comforted him.  
Farrah?  
No, it was someone different. An other hand appeared, thin and warm, resting itself on Daemon's. The hourglass seemed to be coming closer and Daemon touched it, making images flashing through his mind. A giant gray creature with stone muscles, a tall and slim figure covered in flames and a girl smiling, a girl who somehow seemed so familiar. Her hair wasn't nearly as red as the flaming figure, but her smile just as warm, though a blue mark on her forehead had something mysterious about it.  
"You know who you are," the girl's voice sounded gently and Daemon felt himself smiling a bit. "But will you believe it"  
"I don't know what to believe," Daemon noticed himself answering, while he firmly grabbed the hourglass in his hand. "I believe that I need you... But I don't know who you are"  
The girl chuckled and took away her hand, tapping her forehead with her finger. "We are the same, you and me. Though... totally different." "What do you mean?" Daemon felt sick as nothing made sense and now he reached out to the girl instead of the hourglass, but he could not get even close.  
"I have a mission." The girl's voice was fading, as was her image. "And you have one too, Daemon of Eura. Do not forget me"  
"Wait!" Daemon shouted and tried to run forward, but he seemed unable to get closer. "What mission? How will I know"  
"They will search for you," her voice said, though nothing but a whisper now. "Search for them instead"  
"What?" Daemon stopped and longed to know more, as the girl vanished completely.  
Suddenly his vision turned brighter and noticed he opened his eyes, though the girl's last words echoed away in his head.  
"We have a mission..."

"They will come back and you know it," Tyrank said, while Beam paced around with folded arms, as they stood near the stairway. "The Disciples will not rest until they have him in their claws"  
"We cannot give Daemon up!" said Lenaen angrily. "He's a boy, not a.. weapon"  
"See, and that's where you are wrong," said Roldin thoughtfully. "He in fact IS a weapon. For good or bad depends on in whose hands he will be used"  
"Well..." muttered Beam and sighed, standing still. "Giving the boy in is absolutely out of the question"  
Lenaen smiled and was grateful for this comment, awaiting Tyrank and Roldin to continue.  
"Then what?" Dylane spoke after a while. "If he is a Midrandos, he must not fall into the Disciples' hands. If they revive Majok somehow, we are all surely doomed." "Hamja said there are two of them in Priston," said Tim puzzled, who had only listening closely before. "What did he mean"  
"Of course there are," said Lenaen as if a light had hit him. "One for Majok and one... for the Midranda." "Oh no..." gasped Dylane. "I know who it is"  
"Don't be foolish," growled Tyrank. "Of course you do. We all did from the beginning"  
Beam's eyes grew wide as he looked Lenaen, who's eyes told he realised as well.  
"But did Midranda revive?" he asked shakily.  
"I'm afraid so..." sighed Tyrank. "When she turned the hourglass... it revived"  
"We don't know," said Roldin firmly. "We haven't seen it yet, so we don't know until we do"  
Dylane sighed deeply. "But the threat is here," he said, frowning. "Again"  
"Is this... the time for the second Enigma?" Lenaen stammered and looked at Roldin.  
The Lunan sighed and cast down his eyes. "I am afraid so. No matter how hard the people of Priston prayed, the day has come again"  
"What's going on"  
They all turned and saw it was Daemon, who sleepily approached them with questioning eyes.  
"Beam!" Daemon gasped. "You're okay!" But then he remembered to keep his formality with the leader of Hellphoenix and quickly cleared his throat. "I mean.. ermm.. glad to see you are alright, sir"  
For a moment there was silence and Daemon felt his face turning red, but then suddenly Beam burst into laughter and knocked Daemon on the back.  
"I am glad to see you are alright too, boy," he said and grinned. "But don't ever scare us again like that"  
Daemon shrugged, somehow his words came out without noticing, like in his dream from before. "You're the one to talk..." he muttered and it caused more laughter among the small group.  
"How are you feeling?" asked Lenaen eventually and sat Daemon down on the stairway.  
"A little fuzzy," Daemon answered, thinking of his dream. "But alright. So what happened"  
Lenaen's face darkened. "Hamja tried to attack you," he said. "But these warriors from the old Navisko fellowship came just in time to save you"  
Daemon stared up at the three warriors above him. One only a few years older than he, but with such a merry face it made him smile. One man with black, tight hair, whose face was deep with concern, but yet his eyes were very trusting. And the last man who had saved Daemon already a time before, from an other shadow from the darkness. "They are called Tyrank," Tim said while pointing them out. "Dylane and "  
"Roldin," Daemon quickly said. "Yes, I remember"  
Roldin smiled vaguely and reached out for his pocket, revealing a small, rolled up piece of paper. "This is yours," he said and handed it to Daemon.  
Daemon took it without question, but looked up at Roldin and nodded thankfully. But when he had opened it his smile faded completely and he almost felt the ground sinking away from beneath his feet. It was a letter - a letter from Farrah.

Daemon had stood up and walked away after finishing the letter for the fifth time, beyond the stairway and out of the city gates. Just outside he still sat, on a lonesome rock in the sand. Everytime a gust of wind swept past his face he looked up, just to see the number of banners moving in their glory. In one hand he held Farrah's letter, in the other an older piece of paper. It was the map he and his friends found in those ruins near Eura, before the Disciples had taken him away.  
Lenaen had once come to him to see if he was alright, but Daemon had hardly found the energy to talk back. The mage had explained to him what Midrandos was: a Seal of the Darkness. The Great Majok and Midranda the Terrible... they were locked away so long ago by the Gods of Priston, with the use of two magical Seals and an unknown power called... Enigma. The Seals had been broken due to the pressure of darkness and the power of the Enigma had waned. The Discples of Majok were in search for him. And they had found him once before... Daemon wondered what anger he had released when he had escaped with Beam's help, together with Lenaen, from the dungeon of the Cursed Temple.  
He was a Midrandos, Daemon started to realise more and more. He could not exactly explain how, but he felt everything that had happened so far had just put him on the right track. Of course he wasn't at home, of course he was with Hellphoenix now. A Midrandos needs an army to guide him, Lenaen had said. For they draw their powers from others. He was a Midrandos... and so was she.  
But Daemon did not understand at first. Where was she? How could he possibly find her? When he had realised he had pulled out the map and examined it many times. One dot on the map found itself just outside Navisko, while the other rested peacefully in Pillai. The mark on the girl's forehead was exactly the same as some on the map and the carving on the hourglass were identical to the writing.  
"We have a mission"  
Daemon clearly remembered her words and they started to make actual sense. Of course they had a mission. His father had told him the tale of Priston so many times, about the Great War between the Gods and the world's destruction. And how the bravest warriors of Priston had lain down their lives to safe their lands. But why? Why was he of all people the Midrandos of Majok? Majok, the great conjuror who vaquished the Midranda and Galantia tribes, who cursed Priston to its very roots and had taken away all light. A deamon locked away by the powerful Gods, broken free after all those years. What would happen if the Discples would find their Midrandos?  
Nothing, Daemon thought strongly. Nothing will happen, for they will not get their hands on me. One last time he looked down on the map in his hands and stared at the dot resting on Pillai, while the sun slowly sank beyond the mountains again. "I have a mission," he then said out loud and folded the map back up, putting it away in his pocket. "And I know who I am. And I am starting to believe it"  
"Good..." a voice in his head said, though Daemon thought it was just his imagination. "We will search for them together then"  
Daemon closed his eyes and sighed deeply, deeper than he had ever done before. He breathed in the fresh air around him, the glory given away by the banners abovehis head and his smile returned while thinking of Hellphoenix, for he finally wasn't afraid to admit anymore. "Home will have to wait," he muttered to himself, without opening his eyes. "There's only one way to it, and it don't be short"  
"Our trains run on the same track," her voice sounded again. "And therefore they will meet. I will wait for you"  
"And I know where you are." Daemon opened his eyes and stared at Navisko's gates. "And I will set you free." 


End file.
